One Last Coffee Date
by pennynameless
Summary: Hide is running out of time, but he refuses to die until he meets Kaneki one last time. Speaking of which, Amon is tired of being knocked out and left behind by the strange, merciful ghoul. He is determined to find out what makes him tick, even if it kills him. (RootA Alternate Ending, is still in progress) I don't own Tokyo Ghoul.
1. Chapter 1

Hide could feel his time growing shorter largely due to the hole in his stomach. He had a feeling, before the raid, that things weren't going to end well. But he knew Kaneki would be there. His dorky, kind, harmless best friend. That ghoulish mask couldn't fool Hide, nor could his snowy white hair. He knew precisely what lay underneath it all. Just as he knew there was one final place he had yet to look for Kaneki.

 _It may be a long shot, but I think it's the only shot I've got left,_ Hide thought cynically.

He continued to trudge through the pristine white snow, until he found some that was tainted red. A bloody trail, leading into an alley in front of him. As he neared the blood, he saw more of it was smeared along the stone wall of the alley. Hide rounded the corner, not feeling particularly hopeful for whoever the owner of all the lost blood was.

What he didn't expect to see, was the one he was searching for all along. Hide rushed to Kaneki's side, and felt for a pulse. Luckily, he was still alive. Still breathing.

 _At least one of us might be able to make it out of all this alive._

With no small amount of effort, Hide hoisted Kaneki's limp body on his back.

 _Damn, Neki. When did you get so much muscle? You used to be all skin and bones..._

Though each step seemed an impossible feat, Hide managed to get the two of them to Anteiku. Unable to bear the strain of his weight, Hide let the other man fall to the ground. Kaneki let out a small groan of pain. Hide may not be able to carry him any further, but coffee he could do.

Hide glanced around the coffee shop. Rather, what remained of it. The tables and chairs were all on their sides, and some of the windows were shattered. Remnants of ceramic mugs and plates littered the floor. Hide heard the shards crunch under his boots as he walked around the counter. He rummaged through the debris until he found what he needed. The filter looked a little dirty, and the bag of coffee grounds he found was ripped open. Both of these presented a terrible health concern, but at this point Hide didn't particularly care. He didn't see himself living long enough for it to be an issue.

Brewing the coffee turned out to be more difficult than Hide originally thought. His hands were shaking so violently, hot water and coffee grounds soon joined the shards of wood and glass on the floor. It didn't matter much to Hide; no one would be around to clean it up anytime soon.

With two mugs partially filled with coffee (a third of the liquid had spilled over when they were picked up), Hide turned back towards Kaneki. He saw one table still standing upright. He placed the mugs on it, one on either side, then pulled up two chairs. Now only one thing was missing.

Hide crouched down next to Kaneki's sleeping form. He placed his hands on his friend's shoulders and gently tried to coax him awake. When that didn't work, Hide settled for a harsh slap on the cheek. He figured Kaneki wouldn't mind so much, seeing as Hide was running out of time. That seemed to do the trick, as Kaneki jerked awake with a gasp.

"H- Hide?" The ghoul asked in disbelief.

"Hey man. Long time no see," Hide said with a soft smile. If he was bothered by Kaneki's mismatched eyes, he did an excellent job of hiding it.

* * *

Amon Koutaro was tired of this eye patched ghoul.

He woke up in the same empty street where they fought, his quinque shattered on the asphalt. This was humiliating. He almost wished the ghoul would just kill him already and save him the trouble of finding him only to start the whole process over again. New quinques were a hassle to obtain, but Amon would not let his foe have the satisfaction of seeing him give up. His quinque may be shattered, but he still had his service weapon. The handgun wouldn't kill Eyepatch, but it should slow him down enough for Amon to handle the rest. He'd need quite a few more q-bullets to kill him.

Before he could go find the ghoul again, Amon checked himself for any injuries. Surprisingly, his bones were all intact, save for a cracked rib or two. He seemed to only have been knocked out from a blow to the head. He hoped it wouldn't become a problem later on.

Amon slowly stood up. He wasn't one hundred percent sure he sustained no serious injuries, even though he seemed alright. Once he was on his feet, he quickly scanned the surrounding area. It seemed just as it was before the fight with Eyepatch. The ghoul in question was nowhere to be found, however Amon did see an odd trail leading away from the street. It wasn't made of clean footprints, rather long impressions in the red snow. It was as if the creature was heavily injured and dragging his feet, barely able to walk. Amon recalled how he had deeply slashed the ghoul's chest, and he figured these tracks must belong to it. Not content to just roll over and accept defeat, Amon set off to follow the tracks. If he died, so be it, but at least this long battle between the two of them would be over.

* * *

"I can't believe you're here..." Kaneki said quietly. Hide couldn't be here, not after everything he'd done to keep him away. To keep him _safe._

"Hate to disappoint, but it seems I am," Hide said with his ever present smirk. Right then Kaneki thought that smirk was the brightest and warmest thing he had ever seen. Hide pointed at the coffee across the table. "I tried making some, but it probably doesn't taste very good."

Kaneki could a slow sip of the coffee. Hide was right; it was absolutely terrible. But Kaneki didn't care about that. Hide made it for him, and that was all that mattered. Hide left his mug untouched on the table, only because he wasn't sure he had the strength to lift it to his mouth anymore. If he hadn't seated himself at the table, he'd be on the ground in the growing puddle of blood.

After another sip of his coffee, Kaneki finally smelled the blood. He remembered his eye, and scrambled to cover it. He thought he felt Hide's hand close around his wrist, but it was too cold to belong to someone as warm as him. Then he realized where the blood was coming from.

"Hide! What happened?" Kaneki jumped from his seat, finally realizing how pale and pained his friend was.

"I may have slipped up out there," Hide said. "I just wanted to see you one last time."

Kaneki gently helped his friend to the ground and laid him there. "Hold on Hide. There's an aid kit here somewhere," Kaneki instructed as he got up to search.

"Wait Neki, I want-" Hide's words were cut off by a coughing fit that ended with fresh crimson staining the front of his uniform.

As much as it pained him, Kaneki ignored Hide's cry and threw open the cabinets. Miraculously, the aid kit was still where he remembered it to be. With the small white box in hand, Kaneki returned to his friend's side. He looked in the box to see what he had to work with and found it to be surprisingly well stocked. Ghouls wouldn't really need the bandages very often, he supposed.

Kaneki pulled the scissors from the kit and began cutting Hide's vest and shirt off. He didn't have time to fiddle with buckles and buttons.

"Kaneki, just listen to me," Hide pleaded.

"I can listen and bandage at the same time," Kaneki compromised. "Or you can wait and tell me when you're all healed up."

"Still as stubborn as ever," Hide said. "Some things won't ever change."

Kaneki grabbed the cleaning solution from the kit and poured it over the cloth. Hide clenched his teeth as the other man cleaned the wound as best he could.

"Alright Neki. If I don't get this out now, I may not get the chance to later," He hated being so cynical, but Hide knew his chances of survival were slim. "I knew you were a ghoul ever since we were attacked under that bridge, and I never once cared. I was honestly hoping you would tell me yourself, so I could help you. But I knew you'd be alright; the people here at Anteiku looked after you for me. I know what you probably think of yourself, 'cause I know how you are. I just want you to know that I _never once_ saw you as a monster, Kaneki. You were always my best friend, first and foremost."

Kaneki could hardly see the wound through his tears. "Idiot," he choked out. "I can't fix you up if you make me cry like this."

Hide smiled. "I know. But I still needed to say it."


	2. Chapter 2

Hide's wounds wouldn't heal without going to a hospital, and Kaneki was well aware of that. However, he stubbornly kept bandaging and wrapping his friend's stomach until no more of that red liquid could be seen. Until it soaked through the bandage. Again.

"Neki, it's _okay,_ " Hide tried to tell the ghoul. "My time's up. I got to see you again, so it's alright. Please, just let me go and live your life."

"I can't. Not now. Not when I finally have you back."

"I'm afraid it's not up to you, dude. This isn't something you can wrap up and fix."

"That doesn't mean I can't keep trying."

* * *

Hide sighed, and let Kaneki have the last word. It wouldn't be much longer now. He could feel his eyelids growing heavier, and he was losing feeling in his legs. He was beginning to think that meeting Kaneki again was a bad idea, considering the damage this would cause after Hide was gone. He decided it was alright. Kaneki would understand that he wanted to be selfish, just this once.

Amon followed the bloody trail down an unfamiliar street, until it took a sharp turn into an alley. The blood seemed to gather in a big pool, as if the person had lied there for some time. Then it picked back up again, but this time the footprints were different. These weren't the slim feet that Eyepatch had, rather these were clunky combat boots. The kind worn by the CCG.

 _No, it can't be. I can't jump to these conclusions yet. Just keep on the trail._

It didn't take long for Amon to find where the trail was leading. He wondered why he didn't think of sooner. Must be the concussion.

Anteiku was a shadow of its former self. Amon didn't like to admit it, but for a coffee shop run by ghouls, the place used to be rather lively. Seeing as the trail ended inside the shop, Amon waited outside to get an idea of what was going on there.

 _Why would Eyepatch come_ here _of all places? Was he really that badly injured? With any luck, I'll find his corpse in there._

Amon listened for any movement as he inched closer, keeping to the wall to stay out of sight. He was just outside the window when he heard voices inside.

 _He must be talking to another ghoul_ , Amon thought until he heard what the voices were saying. They were talking about how one of them was a ghoul, but the other knew and didn't care. It sounded as if the human was dying.

Amon decided to risk a peek through the edge of the window. The first thing he saw was Eyepatch, only that name wasn't very fitting anymore since his mask had been discarded. He was shocked to see that the infamous ghoul who had caused him endless trouble and irritation turned out to be no more than a child. He was probably barely in college.

Even more unsettling was the expression on the ghoul's face. His mouth was open, saying something about not letting the human go, but he looked to heartbroken. Pained. Yet strangely, it fit him. It was as if something was missing from the ghoul since Amon had first met him, and now he finally had it back. That _something_ must have been the human Eyepatch was furiously wrapping in gauze. The human that, to Amon's surprise, was CCG Officer Hideyoshi Nagachika.

Amon didn't know what to make of the bizarre situation before him. The ruthless ghoul who'd been out of reach of the CCG for so long was _crying_ , trying to save none other than an officer who should be trying to kill him. Hideyoshi, his faithful subordinate, was trying to _console_ the monster before him. He didn't look the least bit afraid, or even upset. He just looked tired.

He'd had enough. Before he could change his mind, Amon left his hiding spot and drew his gun, aiming at the ghoul's head.

"Kaneki, move!" Hide tried to shout, but it came out as barely more than a whisper.

Kaneki whipped his head around to find himself face to face with the investigator from before, Koutaro Amon. Clearly, he had not hit the Dove's head hard enough. Judging by the way his eyes were ablaze with fury, Amon was looking for a fight. Too bad for him, Kaneki wasn't going to give him another one. Not tonight.

Instead, Kaneki slowly brought the rest of himself around to fully face the Dove. He stayed on his knees, in front of a very worried Hide. He spread his arms out wide and held Amon's gaze. Amon remembered the ghoul doing the same thing on the night they'd first met.

"Please," Kaneki plead. "Do what you want with me. I won't fight you. Just please, save Hide!"

 _Hide? Does this ghoul know Nagachika somehow? Impossible,_ Amon thought.

"Kaneki, don't," Hide said. "I'm dead anyway."

 _Kaneki?_ Amon thought. _So_ that's _the ghoul's real name._

"No!" Kaneki snapped. "At least try, Hide! Survive, if not for you then do it for me." Kaneki looked back toward Amon. "I mean it. I won't resist. Kill me, dissect me, stuff me in a briefcase, _I don't care._ All I ask is that you save Hide."

Amon wasn't sure what to make of this. He didn't expect a ghoul to act this selfless, especially for a human. There had to be a connection between the two of them, he just wasn't sure exactly what it was yet. He stared at the ghoul with wide eyes as Eyepatch lowered his head even further, until it was pressed against the glass and ceramic shards that littered the floor.

"I'm begging you," Kaneki cried. "Save him!"

Amon looked at Nagachika. He was in really rough shape. Fresh tears were rolling down the wounded officer's face. Despite the ghoul before him, Amon couldn't in good conscience let the young man die. He addressed the ghoul, who was still bowing on the ground.

"Get up." His voice held nothing but contempt and authority. He took in the growing pile of blood-soaked bandages. "Wrapping him over and over again won't go any good."

The ghoul slowly rose to his feet. "What do I do, then?"

Amon scanned the demolished coffee shop. Could Nagachika really be saved in this dump?

"Please, Investigator. Help him," the ghoul begged again.

Amon shoved past Eyepatch to kneel down at Nagachika's wounded side. The gash in his stomach was brutal. From what Amon could see through the steady stream of blood, it was a deep, jagged cut maybe six or seven inches long, just below his ribcage. The surrounding area was splotched with various shades of purple and blue. Nagachika himself was struggling just to breathe.

"He'll need stitches, now. To stop the bleeding," Amon said gruffly. Though he didn't want to ask the ghoul for anything, he said, "Got a first aid kit? I took a course about helping the wounded in the field."

"Yes, it's over here," Kaneki said as he quickly knelt next to Amon and fished a small box out of the bandage pile. Amon tried not to flinch at the ghoul's sudden movements, but he failed entirely. Unfortunately, Eyepatch noticed.

"I meant what I said, Investigator," Kaneki said as he passed Amon the kit. "I'll comply with whatever you ask. There are suture kits and staples in there, but I don't know how to use them without causing any more damage, so..."

Amon dug through the box's meager contents until he found a needle and thread in a sealed package. He also found a numbing spray, but the nozzle was broken. He was unwrapping the package when Kaneki shifted behind him, and Amon froze. The ghoul realized the reason for his hesitation, and slowly stood and moved to Nagachika's other side, in full view of Amon.

Kaneki gently pushed his friend forward so he'd be laying down. Nagachika weakly grasped his hand, while the other straightened his legs out underneath him, so the human's head was in his lap.

Kaneki looked up at Amon with pleading eyes.

 _I won't try anything,_ the ghoul seemed to say. _I won't move, so please. Help him._

With a deep sigh, Amon began threading the needle. "This is going to hurt, Nagachika," he warned. As Amon reached for the wound, Hide grasped his wrist.

"Amon, in case I pass out or something, please don't hurt Kaneki. He's not the monster you think he is."

"Nagachika. Let go of me."

" _Please_ promise me you'll at least give him a chance. He deserves that much."

Amon was about to say something along the lines of _as if I could ever trust a ghoul_ when the ghoul in question brought Hide's other hand away.

"It's okay, Hide. As long as you're okay, I'm okay. Understand?"

Hide winced as Amon made the first stitch.

"Take care of yourself first," Kaneki said, squeezing Hide's hand. "We can worry about everything else afterwards."

"But Kaneki, he-"

"I _need_ you to be okay, Hide. More than you'll ever know. But I understand that's hard for you, since you've always been the selfless martyr type."

Hide chuckled, but it sounded empty and dry. "Right back at you. I'm the real martyr here, though. A martyr is only a martyr once they die."

"You're not dying here. If you can't survive for your own benefit, think of it this way: if you die here, no one else will vouch for me. I'll be killed by the CCG. So if you save your own life, you can help me save mine, too."

"Still can't argue with the literature major, I guess," Hide said with a sad smile. "Stop being so smart, Neki."

"You're pretty smart too, you know. You managed to track me down."

Kaneki was trying to keep Hide invested in the conversation while Amon was stitching. The Dove, to his credit, was being as gentle as one could be when stabbing someone with a needle and thread repeatedly.

Hide scoffed. "I guess I did manage to do that, huh? All while undercover, too, mind you. It wasn't easy."

"I hope it wasn't. In case you couldn't tell, I didn't really want to be found."

"Then maybe you should try not getting kidnapped by sadistic monsters. Or joining ghoul terrorist groups. Or... keeping so many secrets from me."

"Rest assured Hide, each of those lessons has been thoroughly learned."

"And the one about not running away from me? Rabbits die of loneliness, you know."

"Never again. I'm not going anywhere anytime soon. I promise."


	3. Chapter 3

"Prop him up so I can wrap this gauze," Amon said as he tied off the last stitch.

Kaneki gently placed his hands on Hide's upper back and lifted his torso off the ground, just high enough for Amon to reach around him.

The new bandages still had a bit of blood seeping through, but it was far less than before.

Amon backed away and gave Kaneki a pointed look. "Carry him. We'll have to find a working radio fast. Mine broke during the fight, and we have to contact someone to bring him to a hospital."

Amon watched, one hand on his gun, as Kaneki ripped the cleanest curtain from the wall and wrapped it around Hide since the human's shirt and vest were cut off and it was snowing outside. The ghoul then picked him up, one hand under his arms and one under his knees. When Amon made no move to leave, Kaneki heard the unsaid _you're leaving first. I don't want you behind me._

Not saying anything, Kaneki complied with the unsaid command and led the way out the door. He sniffed at the air, hoping to catch the scent of a nearby human. Instead, he smelled a mass number of corpses, ghoul and human alike.

 _When will we ever move past all this senseless killing? What will it take?_

"Investigator?" Kaneki called out. "I think we should go this way." He nodded his head toward where the smell was strongest. With the amount of blood and bodies, there had to be at least one working radio to use.

"Why that way?" Amon asked.

Kaneki hesitated. "The... uhm... the smell."

Amon didn't bother trying to hide his look of disgust as the ghoul led the way down the street.

"Amon, sir," Hide said as they were walking. "Promise me you'll try. Try to give Kaneki a chance." Hide's eyes fell closed, and he didn't think he had the strength to open them again.

"Hide! C'mon, keep your eyes open!" Kaneki was clearly alarmed at the human's sudden fatigue.

"Alright, alright. I guess if I die here you'd at least get a good meal out of it."

Kaneki scoffed. "As if I'd ever eat you, Hide."

"You're right, I'm just too good looking to eat. I guess you _could_ still go for an arm or a leg, though."

"No, I just don't think you'd taste very good."

"Ouch! I bet I taste delicious."

Amon was dumbfounded. He never imagined ghouls would be capable of such pointless bickering like this. Though he guessed there _was_ a purpose: to keep Nagachika awake and alert.

While Amon hadn't spent much time with ghouls when they weren't trying to kill each other, he always thought they were cold and unfeeling. The night he met Eyepatch had been the first encounter of its kind; he'd never seen a ghoul cry before unless it'd been in serious pain.

This new side of their species was frightening, because it prompted the thought- _were there others like Kaneki?_

Still, he kept one hand on his gun.

Amon listened to their banter for the few minutes it took for them to reach what he assumed was their destination. Upon arriving, he promptly puked. Twice.

There were bodies everywhere; some were in the telltale red of Aogiri, but most were in the standard CCG protection gear. Now Amon understood why Eyepatch chose to come here, because out of all these bodies, at least one had to have a working radio.

Amon watched as Kaneki leaned Hide against the streetlight so he could aid in the search. To his surprise, the ghoul didn't seem to show the slightest urge to eat any of the victims on the ground. Rather, he just calmly scanned the bodies for any sign of a radio, before abruptly stopping.

"He's alive!"

Amon rushed over to where the ghoul was standing.

"Who's alive?" Hide asked, unable to see for himself. His question was soon answered when Amon arrived at the body.

"Takizawa?"

The investigator weakly coughed. "Amon!"

Amon crouched at his side, looking at the gaping, still bleeding wound where the man's arm should've been. "Oh man, what did they do to you?"

"It wasn't pretty, I can tell you that much... Agh!" Takizawa grimaced at the sudden sharp pain.

"Does your radio work?"

"Yeah, I think so, but as you can see, I can't quite reach it at the moment."

Kaneki pulled a red cloak from a fallen Aogiri ghoul and brought it over to Takizawa while Amon was calling for help.

"Who're you?" Takizawa asked while Kaneki gently lifted him up and tied the cloak around his wounded shoulder.

"Uhm, we can get back to that later, okay?"

"Wait... that white hair... You're not... are you?" Takizawa's eyes widened as he put the pieces together.

Kaneki gulped. "Listen, it's not what you think-"

"Amon! Amon it's Eyepatch!" Takizawa screamed and tried to back away, but it was proving to be difficult with only one arm.

"Takizawa! Calm down, you'll hurt yourself even more!" Amon shouted, having finally finished using the radio. He ran over and put his hands on the investigator's shoulders, holding him in place.

"I'm not going to hurt you, okay?" Kaneki held up his empty hands in a placating gesture, but his efforts seemed to be in vain. Takizawa was still terrified. "Alright, alright. I'm leaving now, see?"

Kaneki heard Amon explain the situation as he backed away and walked back over to Hide, who'd been watching the scene with half-lidded eyes. He didn't appear to have much time left.

"Hide? How're you feeling?" Kaneki leaned against the other side of the pole, next to Hide.

"Like death," Hide said sarcastically.

"Not funny."

"You should run. Amon's busy with Takizawa, so you should get away while you have the chance."

"I'm not leaving you, remember?"

"I don't mean for _good,_ dumbass. Come back to me once things calm down a little."

"I made a promise, Hide. I intend to honor it."

Hide sobbed. "Why? How can you do that, knowing they'll kill you for it?"

"Because this war, all this pointless bloodshed... it has to end. If I can show them- get them to _listen-_ maybe they'll see that we do have feelings. Thoughts. Dreams."

"Please don't leave me all alone again, Kaneki."

The _again_ tore at Kaneki's heart. That was what he'd done though; he'd abandoned his friend under the false pretense of keeping him safe. Really, he was scared. Scared of rejection.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry!" Kaneki cried into Hide's shoulder. "Please understand, Hide. I _have_ to do this, because if not me, then who else?"

"I don't want to live all alone. I can't. I'm nothing without you, Kaneki! I never would've gotten through moving here. I never would've gotten through high school. Never would've gotten into Kamii. I don't want my life, if it cost you yours."

Kaneki spun around so he was facing Hide, hands on his shoulders. "Your life is worth a _thousand_ of mine! I would do anything- _anything-_ if it meant saving you." He wrapped his best friend in a hug.

"That's the problem, Neki!" Hide cried into the ghoul's shoulder. "You just don't see it! You don't know how much you mean to me! I-" Hide's words were cut off with another coughing fit. Kaneki gently pat his back until he spat out a mouthful of blood. "I don't think I'll-"

"Shh," Kaneki cut him off.

"These may be my last words, here-"

"Shh! Hide, do you hear that?"

"No, unlike you, _my_ senses aren't super powered."

"Trucks, Hide! They've got to be ambulances. You're going to be okay!" Kaneki sobbed in relief.

"But Neki... how many trucks are there?"

Kaneki smiled sadly, understanding what Hide was asking. "Three, I think."

"That's ambulance for me, ambulance for Takizawa, and..."

"I don't know what's coming for me. But it's okay. I want nothing more than for you to live."

"I just got you back Kaneki! I can't... I can't watch you die... I can't lose you again!"

Amon, who'd been keeping pressure on Takizawa's wounds and pretending not to listen to their conversation, finally spoke up. "It's prisoner transport. There's a small squad, but I instructed them not to attack unless provoked. As long as he doesn't try and fight, we're taking him to 20th ward headquarters."

"But for _what,_ Amon?!" Hide wailed. "So you can stuff him in a briefcase? Take him out to fight whenever it's _convenient?"_

Kaneki hugged Hide again. "It's _okay,_ Hide. This was the agreement from the beginning."

Hide sobbed. "Please, Amon. He's not a monster. I'm begging you- don't hurt him. He deserves a _chance,_ at the very least."

Amon scoffed. "He's a _ghoul,_ " Hide's devastated expression suddenly became murderous. Even Amon flinched a bit. He sighed. "I'll talk to them. We'll hold him as long as we can for questioning, maybe you can get a visit. After that- I don't know. He'll probably be thrown in Cochlea or made into a quinque, and honestly, I don't know which is worse."

Kaneki grimaced at the lack of options he'd been given in regard to his less-than-favorable future. Well, he has survived worse.

The two ambulances rolled onto the scene, and two teams of medics jumped out. Takizawa was quickly lifted onto a stretcher and brought into the first vehicle, but the others didn't want to approach Hide with Kaneki so close, knowing who he was.

Kaneki hugged Hide tightly one last time before backing away, tears streaking both their faces. The medics waited a horrifically long time (it was really only a few seconds, but it felt much longer) to load Hide onto the other stretcher. He was trying to fight them, shouting protests.

Where Takizawa's ambulance had been, the transport truck pulled up. A squad of armored soldiers jumped out the back, aiming their guns at Kaneki. Assuming they were loaded with q-bullets, Kaneki quickly held his hands up and sank to his knees, Hide's cries ringing in his ears.

"Hide!" He shouted. "Don't fight them, okay? Let them save you, _please._ "

Hide finally gave up the struggle, and the medics quickly fastened the restraints. "Amon!" He shouted. "When I get out of the hospital- _he better be there in one piece._ "

The ambulance doors were slammed shut and the truck sped away, taking Kaneki's best friend with it.


	4. Chapter 4

Amon had to give them credit; the soldiers wasted no time. Once Nagachika had been taken away, and the ghoul lowered himself to the ground in surrender, they moved in with all due haste.

There were six of them in all. While five held their guns on Eyepatch, another fastened his arms behind his back with thick quinque-steel manacles. Remarkably, the ghoul didn't so much as flinch, even when he was roughly hauled to his feet and all but dragged toward the truck.

Once they were inside, two of the soldiers left for the front seats. Four remained seated in the back, not counting Amon. Eyepatch was shoved to his knees against the wall furthest from the doors; the chain connecting his hands was fastened to it. Amon couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt at the ghoul's harsh treatment, since he'd given them no trouble.

Satisfied the ghoul was securely restrained, at least for the moment, one of the soldiers banged twice on the wall. Apparently, it was a signal, and the van was soon moving.

For all their haste and professionalism, the soldiers were not very sociable. Even with a SS-rated ghoul in the van, it was a very boring ride. As for Eyepatch, his expression smoothed out into something cold and apathetic. It was unsettling because it was so far from the empathy and selflessness he'd shown so far.

"The CCG will cover any and all medical expenses for Nagachika, so long as you continue to cooperate," Amon said, to break the silence. Kaneki just nodded.

"So, do you really plan to come with us quietly? Or are you planning an escape?" Amon asked hesitantly, not wanting to jinx his luck thus far.

"I haven't caused any trouble so far, have I?"

"That still doesn't answer my question. I just want to understand your reasoning."

"Can't you just accept that I keep my promises? You saved Hide, so I'm cooperating with your demands."

"No. I can't accept what I can't figure out."

Kaneki sighed. "Well of course I have an ulterior motive. Why else would I sit here and let you annoy me, when I could easily escape right now."

Amon visibly tensed, and shifted away from Kaneki as if the distance would somehow grant more safety. The soldiers tightened their grips on their rifles. "Care to share that motive?"

"Someone has to show you. All of you. Ghouls aren't animals; we have families, friends, _lives_. We aren't an epidemic to be eradicated at any cost. Some of us, we want nothing more than to live in peace."

Amon stared at Kaneki, his disbelief plainly written on his face. "You have a funny way of showing it, then."

"I said some of us. Not all of them share that way of thinking."

"You switched," Amon noticed. "From _us_ to _them._ Are you not a ghoul as well?"

"That's a long story." Kaneki's tone was clipped; clearly, he didn't want to talk about it.

Amon let the subject drop. He'd have plenty of time to interrogate the ghoul later. "Why not run? You had plenty of chances. You even tried helping Takizawa, and you don't even know him."

"Just because I'm forced to eat people doesn't mean I take any pleasure in it. The last thing I want to do is kill humans. I thought that maybe, if I surrendered, you might give me a chance to talk with you."

Amon suddenly remembered the ghoul saving some of the other investigators during their fight. "Is that why you saved those men? From the falling rubble? Because you don't want to kill?"

Kaneki nodded. "To this day, I've only killed humans out of necessity. Never innocents. Never for food."

Amon wasn't quite ready to believe something as outlandish as that, but he found himself unable to discredit the statement entirely.

"Thank you, by the way," Kaneki said.

"For what?"

"For saving Hide. You could've attacked me, but you didn't. Hide means everything to me, so... thank you."

Amon said nothing. Despite the ghoul's kind words, he couldn't help but think, _Eyepatch surrendered. He gave himself up, and now he's probably going to die for it. Yet, he doesn't seem to have the least bit of regret._

When the van rolled to a stop, presumably at the CCG headquarters, Eyepatch was roughly jerked to his feet. His wrists were unhooked from the wall, and he was herded inside by the soldiers. Amon followed them.

Once they were inside, the ghoul was taken to the elevator. Amon guessed they were taking him to the basement level cells. He decided he didn't need to stay with them anymore; the soldiers had things under control. Instead, he took another elevator to the infirmary. It wasn't as well-stocked as a hospital; it was more for smaller check-ups. More often than not, it was used as a safe haven for tired investigators who felt they needed to take a break.

The nurse gave Amon a quick physical, and told him he was lucky to have encountered such a powerful foe and only sustain such minor injuries. The worst of them were two bruised (not broken, as he'd originally thought) ribs, and possibly, but unlikely, a minor concussion. Other than those, he'd only gotten minor scrapes and bruises.

After informing the director of what had happened, he was assigned to oversee the detainment and interrogation of Eyepatch. All in all, he was glad to be the one in charge of the ghoul. Against his will, he'd secretly been hoping no one would demand his execution.

He considered going to see the ghoul right then, but his headache and sore body advised otherwise. He decided he'd go home and deal with the enigma that was Eyepatch tomorrow.

* * *

 _Let me take more from you Kaneki!_

 _SNAP_

 _No! Please stop! Don't come near me!_

 _SNAP_

 _1000\. 993. 986. 979._

Kaneki woke in a cold sweat. Yamori haunted his dreams nearly every night, but the rough manacles around his wrists binding him to the wall and the cold air of his cell reminded him of that room more than he'd like to admit. He was beginning to regret his decision to surrender, but it was too late to turn back now. The RC suppressants were doing their job, and Kaneki felt weak and exhausted. He just hoped Hide was alright.

 _972._

He wished that inspector would come and talk to him already. Kaneki would ask for better accommodations.

 _965._

Footsteps sounded from the stairway, far away from his cell. Food? As much as it shamed him, he was getting rather hungry.

 _958._

Maybe it was an executioner, come to kill him at last.

 _951._

No, that wasn't likely. He'd be made into a quinque. He hoped it would be quick, and dare he say it, painless.

 _944._

The footsteps were getting closer. It wasn't one man anymore, but two. Or was it three? Kaneki couldn't tell, there were too many echoes.

 _937._

"What's with the counting? Cut it out." Amon's voice rang out from the dark corridor.

"Didn't realize I was talking out loud," Kaneki said as three men entered his vision. No, that's not right. Two men, one woman. It was too dark, he could hardly see anything aside from their shadows. "Is Hide..."

"I called the hospital earlier. He's stable." Kaneki sighed in relief. Amon made his first demand. "Speaking of, tell me about your relationship with Nagachika."

Kaneki blinked. _They want to know about me and Hide? Of all things to ask..._

"This is going to have to be a give and take deal, inspector," Kaneki said. "I won't be so bold as to ask for my freedom, if that's what you're thinking."

"What do you want?" the woman asked. She was even colder than Amon.

"Nothing fancy. A better cell. You know, a cot, toilet, nothing chaining me to the wall. Some books would be nice."

"How about you tell me about Nagachika first, then I'll see about that," Amon said.

Kaneki scoffed. "Hide and I are best friends. I'll tell you the rest from a new cell."

"Why do you want a new cell so badly?" The second man asked.

"This one brings back very unpleasant memories. That's all," Kaneki explained.

Without another word, the three investigators left him alone. They must have realized they wouldn't be getting anywhere.

 _930._

 _923._

 _916._

Kaneki let his nightmares claim him once again.

* * *

A/N: This chapter, along with 2 and 3, are rewrites.


	5. Chapter 5

Some time later, Kaneki didn't have a clock but he guessed it was a few hours, Amon returned. This time, his two friends held their quinques out and at the ready. One was a long whip, the other a thick blade. Amon kept his in its case at his side.

"You don't need all these precautions," Kaneki said. "If I wanted to hurt any of you I wouldn't have turned myself in."

"Surrendering doesn't make you any less of a ghoul," Amon said over the squeal of the cell door being opened. Eyepatch looked worse than he had that morning. The cuffs that chained him forced him to stand, but now he was slumped down, forcing his full weight on his wrists.

"I suppose my plan will take time. Then again, I only thought it up in the few seconds I had before Hide and I were found. Perhaps this was a fool's mission."

Amon listened to the ghoul as he unlocked the quinque steel manacles. He tried not to feel a pang of guilt when he saw how Kaneki's wrists had been rubbed raw underneath them. Who locked them so tight anyway?

Once he was free, Kaneki fell to the floor. Amon jumped back at the sudden movement.

"I guess your suppressants work better than you thought, eh inspector?" Kaneki mused, unable to get up.

"We're moving you, just as you wanted. Now get up," Amon commanded.

"Sorry, but I don't think I can. I can hardly even feel my legs."

Amon grunted. He passed his quinque to the woman and picked up Kaneki, just as the ghoul had once done for Hide. However, Amon lacked all the gentleness. Where Kaneki had held Hide with care, Amon did so with disgust.

Amon carried the ghoul up a single flight of stairs, to a slightly less depressing corridor of cells. Unlike the barren rooms on the floor below, these each had a cot, toilet, sink, and a light.

The inspector carried the ghoul to the farthest cell and dropped him unceremoniously on the cot. He turned back and slammed the cell door shut.

"Now will you speak with us?" The woman asked.

Kaneki propped himself up on his elbows and checked the cell. "Toilet, cot, even a light and sink," he muttered. "You've been most kind. Now, what would you like to know?" He asked with a slight smile as he scooted back to lean against the cold stone wall. He grimaced as he moved; everything seemed to pain him.

"As I said before, I want you to tell me more about your relationship with Hideyoshi Nagachika," Amon said.

"Of all things you could ask, and that's your first question," Kaneki said. "Ah well. You did as I asked, so now it's my turn." Kaneki sighed and closed his eyes; his smile became very sad. "Hide and I grew up together. When my mom died, he became my only real family. He's a brother to me. That's why I left when I became a ghoul, but we'll get to how that happened later. Hide and I-"

"You _became_ a ghoul? That's impossible!" The unidentified man interrupted.

"Sure, sure, but this is give _and_ take, remember?" Kaneki said. " _This_ meeting is about me and Hide. I'll tell you _that_ story next time, if you'd be so kind as to bring me some books."

"You damn brat-"

"Shinohara! Calm down. We will get to that eventually; he's not going anywhere," Amon ordered.

"Back to the story, then," Kaneki said. "Where was I? Ah, Hide and I were preparing to go to Kamii University. I went for literature, and Hide went to follow me. He truly is the best friend, no, _brother_ I could ever ask for, much less deserve. After I became a ghoul, another ghoul in the area didn't take kindly to me. I wasn't aware of ghoul behaviors, and he thought I was 'trespassing on his hunting grounds.' He attacked Hide and I one afternoon, and I barely fended him off. However, I hadn't eaten any flesh since the accident that made me this way. I was so painfully _hungry._ Suddenly, Hide was no longer my best friend, but my next meal. Luckily, another ghoul stepped in and stopped me. I knew then, that I had to get away from Hide if I wanted to keep him safe from me and other ghouls. So once his wounds had healed, I distanced myself from him. I hadn't spoken to him until you saw us at Anteiku after the raid, Amon. His wound was brutal. I did all the first aid I could, but I knew it wasn't enough. That's why I relied on you to save him. And thus, here I am today."

"Was Nagachika aware you're a ghoul?" The woman asked.

"I didn't think so, but he said he knew all along."

"Has Nagachika tried to contact you? Did he leak any confidential information from the CCG?"

"He searched for me extensively; I wouldn't be surprised if I'm the reason he joined up with the CCG in the first place. He was never able to find me before the raid."

"If I want you to tell me how you became a ghoul, what does that require?" Amon asked.

"Amon! You're just going to comply with this monster's demands?!" The woman shouted.

"Give and take, Akira. He's given us no trouble since his surrender. For the record, I don't like it either. Short of letting him go though, I think this is an alright turn of events," Amon said.

"Books. If possible, please bring some by Takatsuki Sen," Kaneki asked. "If you bring me some books, assuming this light here works, I'd be happy to tell you another story."

Amon and his companions turned to leave, angry about how Eyepatch was acting.

"One more thing, Amon," Kaneki called out. He sounded desperate. "Could you please tell me how Hide is doing? I need to know he's okay."

"I'll see what I can do," Amon said as he walked away. He had one more person to question before he went any further with Eyepatch.

* * *

"Come on Nurse! When can I leave?! It's been days and I can walk just fine now!" Hide plead.

"I understand you're tired of laying around-"

"No, you _don't_ understand! A _life_ is at stake!"

The nurse was clearly tired of Hide's antics. "Fine! You can discharge yourself this afternoon if you feel so great! And don't you _dare_ rip open those stitches!" She stomped out of the room, ignoring Hide's thanks.

The next few hours were a huge drag. All Hide wanted was to get back to Kaneki. As soon as the clock hit 12:01, he went straight for the receptionist. Technically, it was after noon.

After a bit of arguing, the nurse agreed to let Hide leave on the promise that he would keep physical activity to a minimum.

However, Hide's freedom was short lived. Upon leaving the front gate, Investigator Amon was waiting for him in a CCG car.

"Hideyoshi, I need you to come with me," he said.

Hide sighed. He couldn't very well run away.

Amon sensed Hide's hesitation. "Don't worry, I just want to talk. I may let you speak to your friend afterwards."

Having no other options, Hide climbed into the backseat.


	6. Chapter 6

Hide had no idea where the car was headed, just that he was stuck along for the ride. Shinohara zipped through street after nondescript street, seemingly with no destination at all. Amon was in the backseat, alongside his captive. Hide was beginning to think the lack of destination was to give him no option but to sit in the car and listen. At least he knew what this "kidnapping" was about.

"I want you to tell me about your relationship with Kaneki Ken," Amon started.

"Before I do... Are you treating him alright? Does he at least have a bed? His books?"

"He made demands for a cot and toilet; both were complied with in exchange for information about your relationship. Now I want to hear your side."

"What do you want to know?"

"How long have you known Kaneki was a ghoul, exactly?"

"Since his disappearance. We were attacked, and I pretended to be unconscious. It worked for the most part, but I heard Kaneki have this fight with himself."

"A fight... with himself?"

"It was really weird. He sounded so desperate for food, for _me,_ and I was really scared for a minute. It was like all he wanted was to eat me. Just when I thought I was a goner, I heard him say 'Hide is not food, he's my friend.' He went back and forth for a bit. Then this girl ghoul showed up and knocked him out, and I passed out for real."

"Aside from this incident, has he ever threatened you? Made you feel uncomfortable? Attacked you?"

" _Never._ I know what you think about him, Amon. Kaneki has _never_ hurt me in any way. Well, except for when he left me, but I get the feeling he did that for my sake anyway."

"He mentioned his parents' deaths. What can you tell me about that?"

"I dunno about his dad, that happened before I moved here. His mom overworked herself to death when he wad still really little. He lived with his aunt after that, but she was a total bitch."

"She abused him?"

"Yeah, but she never did anything that would be noticed. It was more like neglect than abuse, really, but Kaneki being who he was just made it worse."

"What do you mean?"

"If you met Kaneki before he got all badass, you wouldn't have recognized him. He was all quiet, passive, humble. Honestly, he was a real pushover. He did nothing for himself, so when his aunt did something to him, he assumed he deserved it. I used to wonder if he hated himself. After he moved away from her he was much brighter and happier."

Amon asked more questions about the specifics of their history, and Hide answered honestly. The inspector seemed satisfied with Hide's responses, so he assumed Kaneki was also honest.

Finally, after what seemed like forever, the car rolled to a stop outside the CCG office.

"Why bring me here, Amon? You're really going to let me see him?"

"I don't see a problem with it, considering your stories line up perfectly. Give him these while you're down there." Amon passed him a plastic bag with three paperback novels. Hide recognized their titles matching some from Kaneki's collection. "One more question, before you go in. If you had to describe Kaneki in one word, what would it be?"

"Tragic," Hide said without hesitation, and he walked inside the building as fast as he could.

* * *

Kaneki was _bored._ He picked at his darkened nails absentmindedly as he waited for the inspector to come talk to him again. He wanted those books.

Suddenly, he heard footsteps sound from the hallway. Amon? No, the gait was all wrong. These weren't the strong, sure steps of the investigator. This person had a light foot, but there was a slight limp.

 _Impossible..._

"Hey Neki? You down here? There's only one more floor below this one, so I hope you are..."

"Hide?"

"Bingo! They really put you all the way at the end, huh?"

Kaneki watched the shadow of his best friend grow larger and larger. He turned on his only light, illuminating that lopsided smirk Kaneki missed so dearly. It didn't stay there for long, though.

"Damn it. I asked Amon if they were treating you okay... This cell is awful."

"I've been in worse, Hide. This isn't so bad, really."

"I'll try not to think about the 'worse' situations you've been in. I'm just glad to see you alive." Hide sat on the ground, leaning his shoulder into the bars. Kaneki rose slowly and sat next to him, as close as he could. Hide noticed the pained expression on his friend's face. "What have they done to you man..."

Kaneki sighed. "RC suppressants. I think there's something else mixed in; I'm so sore and tired. This isn't anything I didn't already expect."

"That doesn't make it okay."

"Enough about me, Hide. How much did you have to annoy the nurses to let you leave so early?"

Hide laughed. "A _lot._ I don't think I'll be forgotten anytime soon."

Kaneki let out a small chuckle. "Typical. You'll never get a girlfriend acting like that."

"The last thing I need right now is a girlfriend. Besides, this scar healed up nicely, so I'll be able to make the ladies swoon with my war stories."

"The Fabled Hero of Tokyo, Hideyoshi Nagachika."

"See? Sounds like an epic hero!"

"Sounds like the inscription on a tombstone. All it needs is, 'Killed by his own stupidity.'"

"And here I thought you were saying something nice to me for once."

"You know me better than that."

Hide's expression darkened. "Do I?"

Kaneki said nothing.

"You're someone else now; I can sense it. Whatever happened to you... You've changed. It feels like someone shattered you with a sledgehammer, and put the pieces back all wrong. Still you, but different."

"That metaphor was more accurate than I hope you ever have to know, Hide."

Hide felt the tears burn behind his eyes. "I just need to know one thing. Will I ever see the old Neki again?"

"Honestly? I don't know. The raid on Aogiri- not all of me made it out. I don't know if I'll ever be whole again. But I think... I think I have to try. And maybe, with the right tools, I can get better."

"I'm alright with that," Hide said, content. He'd help Kaneki free himself from this abyss, little by little. The old Kaneki was lost forever, but Hide didn't think the new Kaneki would be any less of a brother to him. He could live with that.

 _Tragic_ _doesn't really fit anymore,_ Hide thought. _No, I think a better word would be... Redemption._

"Hey, Neki?"

"Yeah?"

"Did you really just call me a tool?"

* * *

A/N:

To be honest, I have no clue where I'm going with this fic. It's my first one, and I just wrote it on a whim one night while messing around. I guess I'll see where it takes me?

Anyways, thanks for reading, I hope you like it so far!


	7. Chapter 7

A/N:

I meant to update last night after doing some sketching, but then when I was looking at Hide and Kaneki for some inspiration, I got too caught up in the feels. Hide deserves a happy ending damn it! I ended up getting all sad so I watched a sitcom on Hulu.

… Sorry, I just had to rant for a bit. Anyway, back to the story you came here for in the first place. I hope you like this chapter!

* * *

"Tell me about how you became a ghoul."

Amon's request was answered by Kaneki, and he learned about the Binge Eater named Rize, the accident, and the organ transfer. He made a mental note to track down and investigate this "Dr. Kanou." It was possible that the ghoul before him was an unwilling subject of human experimentation. Next, Kaneki asked for Hide to be allowed unrestricted visits to his cell.

"Tell me about Anteiku."

Kaneki spoke of kind-hearted ghouls who made it their mission to try and live peacefully, but no amount of books or bribery could get him to give their names. Amon was reluctant to believe him at first, but it didn't last long. He was beginning to understand the young ghoul; his beliefs, strong morals, and urge to protect his friends and family resonated deeply with Amon. He found himself relating to him more than he felt comfortable admitting.

"Tell me about Aogiri Tree."

This conversation was clearly much more difficult for Kaneki. Amon could tell by his request alone; he had asked for the extra drugs to be removed from the RC suppressants. Amon was hesitant at first, and Kaneki seemed to sense it. The ghoul stated that this topic was very painful to even think about, so he'd ask for something more worthwhile in exchange. After careful consideration, Amon agreed. He almost wished he hadn't.

Kaneki told this story much more slowly, and it seemed every word was a struggle to get out. Amon listened intently and found himself feeling real pity. Kaneki told him about horribly brutal tortures, and Amon soon realized that this short week he was held at Aogiri is what resulted in the disconnect between their first meeting and the man he now spoke with.

These questions went on for days and Hide visited after each and every one (he wasn't allowed in during the conversation). He always brought Kaneki a cup of coffee, for which he was extremely grateful. He was fed twice; he assumed they planned on feeding him once a week (this was fine with him, since ghouls didn't eat as much as humans). He only ate after being told by Amon the meat came from the Cochlea stores and was taken with permission from the families of organ donors. The questions slowly became more personal, with Amon asking about what it was like being a ghoul, how he dealt with his instincts, and what Kaneki remembered about being human. Kaneki's cell became more cluttered with books, blankets, and even an iPod with headphones. Amon learned more about the ghoul world, even starting to _like_ the ghoul. He found himself feeling sorry for Kaneki, wishing he didn't have to go through all that he had. His feelings of disgust were slowly being replaced by pity and respect.

Meanwhile, whenever Hide wasn't with Kaneki, he was bothering Amon. He begged and pleaded for Kaneki to be released. _That cell is too musty,_ he said. _Kaneki deserves some fresh air. He hasn't done anything wrong, so why not let him go?_

Amon was growing more agitated every time Hide asked him about it. Grudging respect aside, he couldn't in good conscience release the ghoul into the public. He could admit to not feeling nervous around him anymore, but that was partly due to RC suppressants and steel bars. He wasn't ready to let him free just yet.

Hide however, was relentless. Amon couldn't get him to back down even for one moment. He was getting worried about all the time Hide spent in the cell block; he was going to get himself sick.

"Amon, come on man," Hide pleaded. "Kaneki has been a model prisoner here, he's done everything you asked, and he hardly wanted anything in return. He deserves a little freedom."

"Nagachika. He. Is. A. Ghoul," Amon said firmly. "You seem to forget that my job, and your _former_ job, is to exterminate their kind."

Hide winced. "He isn't just a ghoul, Amon. He's my best friend. I'm not asking you to let him roam free, I know you won't do that under any circumstances. Let him move in with me!"

"You would let a ghoul live in your house? Where you sleep? Who knows what could happen!"

"You're forgetting why he turned himself in to you in the first place. He saved my life; he isn't going to up and eat me after that."

Amon sighed. Hide truly was a force to be reckoned with. "Alright listen Nagachika," he said, pinching the bridge of his nose. This ordeal was giving him a massive headache.

Hide leaned in, his eyes growing wide and hopeful.

"Here's the deal," Amon was willing to compromise if it meant giving him some semblance of peace. "I'll let him out of the cell. He can stay at your apartment."

Hide began to run off and tell Kaneki but was halted by Amon's shout.

"Hold on! There are going to be some conditions. CCG Officers will be inside. They won't go poking around, but don't try and fight them. They will inject RC suppressants every morning. Kaneki will wear a mask, and he will _keep_ it on at all times. Only I will be able to remove it."

"Isn't this a little excessive...?" Hide said, looking a little crestfallen.

"I'm not done. You're lucky I'm even willing to compromise. Kaneki stays in the apartment at all times. I don't want him past the balcony. I will install a camera in the living room, _do not_ mess with it. I will call you every day, and if you don't answer, the deal's off and I will send a cavalry. Got it?"

Hide was clearly disappointed about all the rules, but he knew it was better for Kaneki than the cold stone walls. "Alright, but I'll need to you to write that down for me," he said sarcastically. "When can we leave?"

"In an hour or so. I'll gather the necessary personnel and setup shift changes."

"Thanks, Amon!" Hide bowed deeply before running off toward the elevator.

* * *

Kaneki was just getting to the end of one of his favorite novels when he heard Hide shout from the hall.

"Good news, Neki! You won't believe this!"

"What is it?" Kaneki asked, putting his book down.

"Guess!" Hide said, looking rather accomplished with his hands on his hips just on the other side of the bars.

"Hmm... You finally got someone to date you?"

"Not even close, man. This was far more difficult."

"Oh, that limits my options quite a bit," Kaneki said with a chuckle. "You got a new job?"

"Nope. One more guess."

"Did you... clean your apartment?"

"Close, but nope. I got Amon to let you out!"

"You did... what?" Kaneki's jaw dropped.

"After a heavy dose of my adamant begging, he agreed to let you come stay with me. With a few conditions, of course."

"I- I don't know what to say, Hide."

"Maybe, thanks? Unless you don't want to stay at my place..."

"Yes! Thank you! Of course, I want to get out of here, I'm just shocked is all."

"Well, you can count on me to jailbreak you."

"So, what are the conditions he set?"

Hide's expression grew angry, though he tried to mask it. "You aren't allowed to leave. He wants to put a camera in my living room, and guards too."

"That's it?" Kaneki sensed there was more.

"No," Hide looked nervous to continue. "He's going to keep up the RC suppressants and..."

"Hide, it's fine. You can tell me."

"He wants you to wear a mask. He'll be the only one who can take it off."

Kaneki stared at Hide's flushed face for a few seconds, before entering a fit of laughter.

"This isn't funny! It's sick!" Hide said.

"Hide, _a mask_ is what got you all upset? You forget I wore one all the time when I fought! Another mask is nothing to be so riled up about, especially if it means I get to leave this cell!" Kaneki doubled over in laughter, and it didn't take long for Hide to join in.

Amon watched the two from the hallway. He wanted to see Hide deliver the news, to gauge the ghoul's reaction. He needed to make sure he was making the right decision in letting Kaneki go. He had to suppress a smile at their comedic bickering, and he couldn't help but feel relieved when they fell into laughter. As they began earnestly talking about all the television and games Kaneki needed to be caught up on, Amon left to gather a team.

* * *

A/N... again...

Thanks for all your reviews! They really give me the motivation to keep this story going. Also, if you notice any spelling or grammatical errors don't hesitate to let me know so I can fix it! I plan on updating again later this afternoon, but we'll see. Thanks for reading!


	8. Chapter 8

Within the next hour or so, Amon and two other officers arrived at Kaneki's cell with a small bag. Hide's cheerful expression faltered at the sight of its contents, but he was excited nonetheless. A loud buzz sounded, and the cell door slid open.

As soon as Kaneki stepped out, Amon pulled the mask from his bag. Kaneki stayed completely still while Amon fixed it in place. It wasn't nearly as vicious or restricting as Hide had imagined. In his opinion, it far less unsettling than his usual one. This was made primarily of a few thin metal pieces. Two went across from the top of one ear to the other. One went across the middle of Kaneki's face- under his eyes and over his nose. Another went underneath his chin. Two vertical ones went over the corners of his mouth, connecting the top and bottom. Hide's mind led him to believe it would be painful and difficult to look at, but in reality, there was hardly any substance to it at all. A flattened metal cable with some kind of magnetic lock went around the back of his head. It wasn't too tight; it could be shifted around slightly but due to the clever way the pieces were bent, it couldn't be removed without unlocking it.

"See, Hide? You got all worked up over nothing," Kaneki said as Amon stepped away. He could still talk normally.

"This is the most open one we have," Amon said. "It'll put mine and the guards' minds at ease without being too uncomfortable. As long as Nagachika doesn't try sticking his fingers through it we'll be fine. Needless to say, you can't take bites out of anyone. It's thin but it's quinque steel, so don't bother trying to break it."

Kaneki chuckled. "Thanks, Amon. I appreciate all you're doing for me."

"Thank your friend there. He was so annoying in his persistence that I had to do this for my own sanity."

Hide smiled, looking pleased with himself. "That's my specialty. How do you think I got out of the hospital so early?"

"I feel bad for the nurses," Amon said with pity. He looked toward Kaneki. "I assume he explained everything to you? I'll go over it again in the car, so there's no confusion."

The car ride to Hide's apartment was thankfully a short one. Once Amon had finished clearly outlining the situation to Kaneki, the ghoul just stared at the scenery through the window from the center back seat. The two guards sat warily on either side, with Hide in the passenger seat. Kaneki thought the guards looked vaguely familiar, but he couldn't place their faces anywhere. One was very tall with dark hair and a vacant look. The other was of average height; he had brown hair and kind eyes. They dressed in civilian clothes so they didn't stand out, maybe that was why Kaneki couldn't remember where he met them.

Twenty minutes after leaving the CCG, the van rolled to a stop at an apartment complex. The party, excluding Amon, followed Hide's directions to his apartment. Once they arrived, Hide ran ahead with his key in his hand. He looked very flustered and nervous.

"Alright guys, here's the deal. I haven't been home much at all lately so I know it's a mess ok?"

"Just... how bad is it Hide?" Kaneki asked nervously. The two guards looked unsettled, but not too bothered. Unlike Kaneki, they didn't know how messy Hide could be.

"It's pretty bad. Remember that time you came over to bring me food when I was sick, and it was so bad you ended up making me stay at your place until you cleaned mine?"

"Yeah, I couldn't even see your floor. There was trash and food all over. No way you were ever going to get better in that dump."

"Well," Hide said, unable to meet Kaneki's eyes. "It's worse than that. Like, ten times worse."

"That's literally impossible."

"No, I promise it's not."

"Open the door, Hide."

"Are you _sure-_ "

"Open. The. Door."

Hide gulped and turned the key. The lock clicked smoothly, but the door on the other hand, did not. Kaneki heard the sound of plastic crinkling and a pile of _something_ slide across the floor as the door was forced open. Kaneki slowly stepped around the doorframe to peek inside, and he almost wished he was back in his cell.

"Hide... this is... I have no words."

Just peeking in the doorway, and Kaneki could tell it was more than just bad. There were dirty clothes all over the place, abandoned boxes of takeout and fast food littered every surface, and he was pretty sure he saw the tail of some undiscovered species flee behind one of the _piles_.

"I know, I know," Hide said sheepishly as the guards peeked around Kaneki's head. They were even more dumbfounded, but they didn't say anything. Kaneki had a feeling they were speechless as well.

"You should've left me in my cell, Hide."

"Now, don't say that!"

"Have you _seen_ this? How were you not evicted?!"

"I... don't know."

Kaneki sighed. "Alright. Someone needs to run to the corner store. We need trash bags, soap, sponges, definitely some gloves, a broom, and I don't know what else."

Hide looked to the guards. "Amon didn't cover excursions... Should I go or one of you guys?"

The taller guard spoke up. "You go, Nagachika. Amon told us not to let him out of our sight for longer than a few minutes."

Hide winced. "Alright. Don't kill each other while I'm gone! I'll be back shortly," he said as he ran down the hall.

Kaneki slid down the wall and sat on the floor in the hallway. The shorter guard closed the door and sat opposite him.

"Sorry, but have I met you guys somewhere?" Kaneki asked. "You look so familiar, but I don't know..."

"During your fight with Amon, you stopped the rubble from falling on us," the shorter one said. "Since you saved our lives, we were the only ones willing to take this job."

"Oh, I remember now," Kaneki said. "Thanks for doing this for me and Hide. Wait, weren't there three of you?"

"Yes. He's too badly injured to take over guard duty, though."

"I see. I'm sorry about that."

"Well as long as you're not the one who hurt him, no hard feelings. I'm Shinra. Tall, dark, and overbearing over there is Genji."

"I'm Kaneki, but I guess you already knew that."

The hall fell into an awkward silence while the three of them waited for Hide to come back. None of them wanted to try and brave the apartment. It took another thirty minutes, but Kaneki soon heard Hide's footsteps sounding down the hall accompanied by the rustle of plastic bags.

"Yo!" Hide called as he walked up to them. "I got everything Kaneki asked for, and then some."

"Good. Did you get masks? I forgot about the smell," Kaneki asked.

"That I did, and I got some air freshener to help with that too," Hide said. He addressed the two guards. "Kaneki's gonna help me clean since I got him halfway released, but you guys don't have to worry about it if you don't want to."

"Are you kidding? It'll take the two of you _days_ to clean that mess. If we want to come inside anytime soon, we have to help," Shinra said.

Hide grimaced. "I guess you're right. Sorry about all this, it's been a really hectic few weeks. With a missing best friend, multiple near-death experiences, me being in the hospital, then Kaneki being detained-"

"Hide?" Kaneki interrupted.

"Yeah?"

"Shut up and give me some gloves."


	9. Chapter 9

Within a few hours, the team had gone through no less than four full trash bags. Hide was only slightly more sweaty and exhausted than Kaneki, while Shinra and Genji looked more or less alright. They separated the clothes into piles that they washed as they cleaned. After having left he CCG that morning at around eleven, it took until eight that night to get the apartment spotless. Hide walked in the door after having brought the last trash bag to the dumpster and collapsed on the sofa.

"Guys, I think we did it," he said, exhausted.

Kaneki plopped down on the carpet. "I never thought you were capable of this bad a mess, Hide. Do you want to guess how many rats I chased out of here?"

"Not particularly, no."

"Really? Would you like to hear about the squirrels then? I think there was a whole family of them."

Hide winced. "Really, Neki. I'm good," Hide yawned.

Shinra and Genji sat at the kitchen table. Unlike the other two, they had a job to do and didn't have the luxury of going to sleep. Sadly, it was only eight p.m. and they wouldn't be able to leave until the next morning.

"How about... coffee?" Hide grumbled, his face in a pillow. "I bought... from Anteiku... for Neki... never opened..." His words trailed off into a loud snore.

"Hide, you can't offer to make coffee while you're half asleep on the couch. You can't even open your eyes."

Hide grumbled something that sounded like 'You can't open your eyes!' but Kaneki couldn't be sure. Coffee really did sound nice, but neither one of them had the energy to get up. If the guards wanted coffee, they could get it on their own, Kaneki decided. He snatched the pillow from underneath Hide's legs and passed out on the carpet.

Shinra looked across the table at Genji, with a steaming mug in his hands and a serious expression on his face. "So, what do you think about him? The ghoul, I mean."

Genji sipped his coffee while he thought about his answer. "To be honest, I was expecting a monster when I was assigned to this job."

"I was too. I heard all the stories from the other units about how strong he is, and I couldn't figure out why Amon captured instead of killed him. Much less how he managed it."

"He didn't tell you?"

"Tell me what?"

"The ghoul surrendered. He turned himself in, in exchange for Amon letting him take Nagachika to the hospital."

"Really? It's obvious they have a history, but for a ghoul to risk his life for a human..."

"It's unheard of, I know. Apparently, they were best friends since they were kids, when Kaneki was still human."

"I would never admit it at HQ, but I feel bad for him. He's not entirely human or ghoul, so he's got enemies on all sides. That has to be hard."

"I wouldn't trade places with him, that's for sure. At least he has Nagachika. Those two are inseparable."

"Another reason I feel sorry for him."

The pair laughed quietly while they drank their coffee.

"I'm happy though," Shinra said. "He makes me feel... I don't know, it's hard to explain."

"Hopeful?"

"Yeah. Today has me thinking that maybe if we sit down and talk to each other, all this killing can finally stop."

"That would be nice. I'm tired of fighting."

"We all are."

Unbeknownst to them, Hide and Kaneki had both woken up and heard the whole thing. Kaneki raised his fist from the floor and Hide tapped it with his own in a silent fist bump.

 _I'm doing it,_ Kaneki thought. _There's hope for us. For Touka and Yoriko, for Nishiki and Kimi, and for Hinami. For Hide. For... me. We might all be able to_ live _someday. No, we_ will _live someday. I'll make it happen._

Feeling overcome with fatigue again, Kaneki fell asleep with a smile on his face.

When Hide awoke, Kaneki was still knocked out on the ground. Hide smiled. Even asleep, he looked a lot better than he had before. Now he looked hopeful and happy after hearing the conversation last night. Hide carefully picked Kaneki up and brought him to his bedroom and left him on the bed. Satisfied he was still fast asleep, he gently shut the door and went to see where Shinra and Genji had run off too. Hide heard voices outside his door, but this conversation was far less promising than the previous one.

 _"You're sure he didn't attack anyone?" Akira asked._

 _"For the last time, all we did yesterday was clean up. He helped clean, then fell asleep on the floor," Shinra said, aggravated._

 _"You can't trust ghouls," Shinohara said. "They're monsters, every last one of them. I'll never understand why Amon let him out of his cell."_

 _"Just try not to kill him while you're here, please," Genji said over Shinra's yawn. It was clear they needed to get some real sleep after yesterday. Akira and Shinohara noticed it too and told them to go home._

Hide listened to the shuffling of feet outside and started feeling nervous. Shinra and Genji had been kind, but it was clear he couldn't expect that from these two.

Hide opened the door softly before one of them could slam it. "Good morning," he said to Shinohara's scowling face.

Not bothering with any formalities, Akira just asked, "Where is it."

"It?" Hide asked innocently.

"The ghoul. Where is it?"

" _Kaneki_ is sleeping in my room. _He_ hasn't had a good night's rest in who knows how long. I would appreciate it if you guys would let _him_ relax."

Akira wasn't backing down so easily. " _It_ can sleep as long as _it_ is in my line of sight."

Hide sighed, knowing he had no authority to go against her. "Just be quiet, please," he pleaded as he led the way down the hall. He slowly opened the door to show them Kaneki's sleeping body, only he was nowhere to be found.

"You were saying...?" Shinohara said accusingly.

Suppressing a panicked scream, Hide shakily called out for him. "Kaneki?"

"I'm in here, Hide," Kaneki called from the bathroom. "I was just about to get in the shower."

Hide let out a sigh of relief. "See? He's fine."

"A _hygienic_ monster, huh?" Akira mused as she explored the apartment with Shinohara at her heels.

Hide gulped. This was not going to be a fun day.


	10. Chapter 10

When Kaneki finally got out of the shower, he found Shinohara waiting for him in the bedroom, syringe in hand. He'd almost forgotten about the RC suppressants. Trying to ignore the pain in his eye, Kaneki stayed still while the investigator made the injection. If he had to guess, Kaneki would say Shinohara was deliberately poking him in the eye. It was over soon though, and whatever slight feeling he was getting in regards to his kagune was gone.

He walked into the kitchen to make coffee and found Akira glaring at him from the counter. Shinohara sat next to her.

"Can I help you...?" Kaneki asked tentatively.

Akira said nothing.

"Would you like some coffee? I make a good cup."

Again, Akira said nothing, but Hide spoke up from behind his television. "Yeah, make me one. Lots of cream and sugar."

"Alright," Kaneki said, and got to work. Once he was done (he had to get a straw for his own mug), he brought the mugs to Hide, who was now waiting patiently with two game controllers on the coffee table.

"What did you put in?" Kaneki asked, looking at the game console he assumed was just hooked up.

Hide gave him a sly grin and passed a controller. "Oh, you'll see."

* * *

Amon sat at his desk for the first morning without having to question Kaneki. He'd been taking notes during and after each meeting and submitting them to his superiors, as per his orders. He included his own personal inferences, and the 20th ward branch director emailed his responses. Thankfully, he was a reasonable man. He trusted Amon's judgement in most matters concerning the eye-patched ghoul.

Today, he decided he'd skim over his notes. He had grown quite the collection, practically holding the young man's entire life's story in his hands. The more he examined them, the more sympathy he felt not only for Kaneki but for all the ghouls he spoke about- the ones who wanted nothing more than to be able to live. He felt pity for them, and guilt about killing so many indiscriminately. Kaneki had shown him that another way was possible, and Amon found himself wanting to find it.

As he read over them, he found something Kaneki had said during their talk about humanity. At the time he thought it was important enough to quote exactly, and now he was glad he did.

 _My experience is unique, because I've been both human and ghoul. I can say without hesitation that neither side has it easy. If they just worked together, they could make this world a million times better._

 _See, the people of this world, both humans and ghouls, are like puzzle pieces. Alone we're only jagged fragments, but together we can reveal something really beautiful._

Reading that quote again, Amon could almost hear Kaneki's soft voice. He felt an interesting idea beginning to take root in his mind. He kept reading, to find yet another quote about Kaneki's thoughts on coexistence between both species.

 _We can't just rush into it; neither of us is ready for that. It has to be slow and steady, like making a good cup of coffee. It'll be bitter at first, but soon you'll find yourself enjoying it more than you ever would've expected._

Amon felt his idea really start to take shape. Coexistence was possible, and it was Kaneki who showed him that. Koutaro Amon, the hardened ghoul investigator, slayer of more than a few ghouls, was changed. He wanted peace. And if his opinion could be swayed by his sworn enemy, a _ghoul_ of all people, then who's couldn't?

* * *

"Kaneki! Stop biting me already!" Hide shouted.

"Sorry Hide, but I don't intend on letting you get away so easily," Kaneki said.

The two were playing Mario Kart, and Kaneki continuously got the same power-up that granted him a huge red plant on the back of his car. Unfortunately for Hide, that plant stretched out and bit whoever Kaneki drove near, spinning the victim's car out of control. The screen showed Kaneki's little red ghost avatar cross the finish line first, with Hide's big green dinosaur coming in right behind him.

"I'm three for three, Hide," Kaneki bragged. "Are you sure you're not going easy on me?"

"No! I just can't concentrate with those two glaring at me!"

"I think they're glaring at me more than you."

"Whatever. It's distracting. Akira, Shinohara, could you please hover somewhere where I can't see you? I want to win at least once."

"Tell you what, Hide," Kaneki said, knowing neither investigator would answer. "If you win this next round, I'll make you lunch. I'm tired of hearing your stomach growl. If you lose, you have to make me another cup of coffee."

Hide held out his hand, and Kaneki shook it. "It's a deal."

The pair watched as their avatars lined up at the starting line, then took off on the track. This one was called Rainbow Road, and was particularly tough compared to the others due to the lack of railings. Kaneki couldn't stay on the track with all the sharp turns, and all Hide had to do was drive carefully. Eventually, Hide was a full lap ahead of Kaneki, and he won in a landslide victory.

"For my victory meal, I think I want one of your old hamburger steaks," Hide mused as his character was displayed with a large '#1' over it.

Kaneki sighed in resignation. "Do you have all the stuff?"

"I believe I do. What are you still sitting here for? I'm hungry!"

Akira and Shinohara just watched in bewilderment as Kaneki slowly rose and gathered his ingredients from the kitchen. He couldn't taste the food, and it smelled awful, but he made the meal enough times as a human for it not to be an issue.

Hide snickered at his friend's disgusted face. "Having some trouble there, Neki?"

"I don't suppose you'd like to come help?"

"Hmm, I don't think so. I'm fine right here."

"I figured that." Kaneki looked toward the investigators. "Now I doubt you'll answer, but since I have to make one human meal, would either of you like anything?"

To his surprise, Shinohara actually nodded, as did Akira. Though they looked very reluctant about it. Kaneki supposed they must really be starving, as he began readying two more plates.

* * *

Amon arrived at the branch director's office with his notes in hand, ready to discuss his new plan. After the first knock, he heard the director call him inside.

The director was similar to Amon in terms of physique. The man had a muscular build; he was a Special Class Investigator before being promoted to Branch Director. He had a strong jawline, and thin eyebrows over kind eyes. His black hair was greying, and Amon guessed he was in his fifties.

"To what do I owe this visit?" He asked as Amon entered.

"I've been doing some thinking, about Eyepatch."

"I'm intrigued."

"As I'm sure you're aware, I let him leave to stay with Hideyoshi Nagachika while under strict supervision. This was after extensive interrogations, and persistent begging from Nagachika himself."

"Yes, you told me about how they used to be friends."

"Well, I was reading over my notes this morning, and I think the two of them could make a real difference starting in the 20th ward."

"What sort of difference?"

"Coexistence. I wrote these two quotes from Kaneki Ken, and after observing their relationship, I truly think it's possible." Amon passed his notepad to the director, who made no expression as he read it.

"Have you spoken to anyone else about this?"

"The two officers who guarded him yesterday agreed with me. I have a written statement from each of them, in that notepad."

"How do you suppose we go about this?"

"We start by directing some of our research away from anti-ghoul weaponry, and toward more friendly tools."

"Such as?"

"Synthetic human meat, widely distributable RC suppressants for a low cost, among other things."

"Why this sudden change? Was it just this ghoul...?"

"I told you how he came to be in my custody. He risked his life for a human, who in turn pleaded with me for the ghoul to be saved. Since they were granted access to speak with one another, they've been damn near inseparable."

The director seemed to consider Amon's plan. "Suppose I let you head this project. What role would they play here?"

"I'd like them to be the public face of the operation. The kind-hearted ghoul and his human best friend. It's the perfect image of coexistence to strive for. I could have those two officers give a public statement as well."

"It's so risky, Amon."

"I know, sir."

"Ghouls who currently live in secrecy would have to out themselves. The public backlash could be astronomical."

"I'd like the CCG to play the middle man, so to speak. The public already knows about ghouls, and with our help, we can coax them into believing that ghouls want to coexist."

"And if they _don't_ want to coexist?"

"I think the ones that don't are vastly outnumbered by those that do."

"Let me think about it for a bit. I'll get back to you this afternoon. I want you to talk to the lab about the possibility and the cost of synthetic meat and widespread RC suppressants."

"Yes sir!"

Amon left the office feeling more hopeful for the future than he had in a long while.


	11. Chapter 11

A/N:

Guys, I was really just messing around when I wrote this fic, I didn't think anyone would actually like it. Seriously, thanks for all your reviews.

Also, there might be some confusion about the story thus far: this is by no means meant to follow what's canon. I just wrote for fun, and this isn't meant to line up with the original manga or Tokyo Ghoul: re. Sorry for not clearing it up sooner!

P.S. Any and all criticism would be greatly appreciated. How can I improve otherwise?

Without further ado...

* * *

"It's... good..." Shinohara murmured with surprise as he picked at the meal Kaneki placed in front of him.

"Of course, it's good!" Hide exclaimed from the couch, with his mouth full. "Kaneki's been making these ever since we moved here for Kamii."

"So, it's true, he really was a human once," Akira said.

Kaneki regarded her with sad eyes as he washed his dishes. "I was, yes. While I couldn't tell you how those hamburger steaks taste, I do remember how to make them."

Hide groaned as his phone rang. He put his fork down on his near-empty plate and answered.

"Hello? This is Hide."

Kaneki could hear the voice on the other end of the line if he strained his ears. "It's Amon. How's everything going there?"

"Good. I miss Shinra and Genji, but Akira and Shinohara are getting there. They're a lot slower to warm up to Kaneki, I think."

"Well, they can leave shortly. I'm coming over."

"Hey, we followed your rules to the letter, Amon!"

"Don't worry, I'm not coming to take him away. I've got some things to discuss, that's all."

"Oh, alright. What do you need to talk about?"

"I'm on my way now, I'll just tell you when I get there."

The line clicked, signaling the end of the call.

"Looks like we'll have company, Neki."

Amon wasn't kidding about being on his way. He knocked at the door ten minutes after the call ended. Akira and Shinohara seemed surprised to see him, but once they were dismissed they couldn't get out of the apartment fast enough.

"Your place is cleaner than I thought it'd be, Nagachika," Amon said as he glanced around.

Hide winced. "Let's not bring that up."

Amon gave him a confused look. "Alright, I guess. That's not what I'm here for anyway."

"You're here for me, I take it?" Kaneki said from the couch.

"Yes. I have a proposition for you," Amon said as he sat in the chair opposite him. Hide sat on the other end of the couch.

"A proposition? What do you mean?"

Amon sighed. "It's about what you talked about the other day, coexistence. I think it might be possible."

Kaneki scoffed. "This is a joke, right? If it is, it's in poor taste."

"No, I'm serious. The 20th ward director gave me the green light to start a coexistence project here, if I can gather some things for him."

"What things?"

"I need proof from both humans and ghouls that both parties actually _want_ this. I also need to assist the R&D department develop better RC suppressants and synthetic meat."

"Were you hiding a science degree all this time, Amon?"

"Of course not. I spoke to them, and they think it's possible to develop these things, but they lack the crucial piece."

"Someone to test them on," Kaneki said with a sigh.

"Exactly. The prisoners at Cochlea are too violent. Since we'd be testing different RC suppressants, we need a willing participant. They would use this opportunity as a means to escape once they had access to their kagune."

"Is that all you came here for?"

"No. We also need someone to be the public face of all this. Someone who can relate and speak with humans-" Amon looked at Hide. "-and someone who can do the same with ghouls," he looked back to Kaneki.

"I don't want Hide brought into this," Kaneki said.

Hide spoke up for the first time. "Hey man, if it means we can get back to the way things used to be, I'm all for it."

Kaneki worriedly looked toward his friend. "You'd be putting yourself in danger for me _again._ Don't ask me to stand by and watch you do it."

"You'd be right there with me this time. If you're going to be their science project, which I'm seriously not happy about, this is the least I can do. Besides, this isn't going to be another war zone. And it's me! You can't honestly believe they'll hate _me!"_

"To be more specific, I plan to hold seminars and televise interviews with the two of you. You'd reveal your relationship, how you found out he's a ghoul, and talk about each other," Amon elaborated.

"So basically, tell the whole world about my best friend. Easy!" Hide said.

Kaneki smiled softly. "What did I do to deserve you, Hide..." He muttered.

Hide grinned and slapped him on the shoulder. "You don't have to do anything. We're there for each other, just like always."

"That right there," Amon interrupted their moment. "You two are what inspired this idea in the first place. If you can show the world that dynamic, I think they'd open up to the idea of coexistence."

"You really think so, Amon?" Kaneki asked. "To be honest, I'm scared to let myself hope. I don't want to be let down on something as big as this."

"It won't be easy. It'll be one hell of a mission, but yeah. I believe it's possible."

Kaneki sighed. _Can it be true?_ He thought. _Is this really happening? Can we all be together again? We have to try. If there's even the slightest chance, I'll give it everything I have._

"Alright. I'm in. What do you need from me?"

After explaining the type of proof he'd need, Amon sent Hide to talk to university students and people around town. He left under the guise of someone taking a poll, for a magazine. His goal was to gather as many positive, but honest statements about ghouls as he could.

To account for ghouls' opinions, Amon handed Kaneki back his phone. It was confiscated when they took him in, but it still had service for a few more weeks.

"Logically, we knew some of your contacts had to be ghouls. But we had no way of investigating each of them without sending the rest into hiding," he said.

"Before I do this, Amon," Kaneki said as his thumb hovered over the first name. "You really mean to help us? I need your word, that you won't go after the people I call."

"Yes. Honestly and truly, I think this can work. Whoever you call, I won't touch them."

Kaneki nodded. If this Dove could trust him, the least he could do is offer the same trust in return. He called the first name that came to mind, and they picked up after just one ring.

"Hello? Touka? It's me, Kaneki."


	12. Chapter 12

Kaneki heard Touka's breath catch. "You... you're really you right? You're really Kaneki?"

"Yeah, it's me."

Touka sniffled. _Is she crying?_ Kaneki thought. "When I saw you walk out of Anteiku with that Dove, I thought..."

"I know, and I'm sorry. Remember Hide? Well-"

"Shut up Kaneki. I don't care about the details. All that matters is that you're okay. You _are_ okay, right? Please tell me you're okay."

"I'm fine, Touka. You don't have to worry."

"Where are you? Hinami's with me, We're coming right now-"

"You can't."

"I... can't? Kaneki, what is this?"

"That Dove, he's CCG Investigator Amon. I surrendered."

"You surrendered? Why the hell would you go and do that?!" Touka was getting furious, now.

"To save Hide! Look it's a long story, but I'm going to put you on speaker. The Dove is here with me, and I really think-"

"He's there with you?! Kaneki have you lost your mind?!"

"Listen, Touka please-"

"He's a DOVE! They kill us every god damn DAY!"

"I know, just let me explain-"

"Explain what?! There's nothing you can say that would make me trust that monster! Nothing!"

"Touka, he wants to help us."

"Don't believe him, Kaneki."

"Another time, I would've agreed with you. But right now... I think we can."

"What has he done to you?"

"Nothing. That's just it, Touka. He's practically given me everything I asked him for."

"And? What does he want with you?"

"He and I did a lot of talking, and we think ghouls and humans might be able to coexist."

Touka laughed bitterly. "Coexist? Seriously? Kaneki, we _eat_ humans. How can they ever accept us?"

"Can I put you on speaker? You can ask him yourself if you want to."

"He wasn't listening in this whole time?"

"I asked him to wait in the other room so I could talk to you alone first."

"Other room? He didn't throw you in Cochlea?"

"That's what I've been telling you. He's different, and I think he really wants to give us a chance."

"Why? What's in it for him?"

"I don't know exactly, but I think it has something to do with Ryouko."

"Ryouko?"

"Not just her specifically, but those like her as well. I think he feels guilty for killing so many without reason."

"Why do you think that?"

"I can't explain it, really. Every time I talk to him he's got this look, like he's trying to atone."

"You can't really trust a Dove based on your perception alone."

"I guess I've been doing the same thing with Hide. I want to atone too, for leaving him, and for hiding everything. I can see where he's coming from. He gave me a chance that night at Anteiku, so I'm repaying the favor."

Touka sighed. "Let me talk to him then."

* * *

Hide sighed in defeat. Out of the fifteen students he'd spoken to so far, none of them expressed any sort of positive feelings toward ghouls. At this rate, coexistence was a pipe dream. He had to try something new.

After taking off his muted grey cardigan (Amon insisted it was better than his favorite jacket), Hide ran his hands through his hair. The magazine angle wasn't working, so he'd talk to these students as one of them.

Spotting a group of students at the on-campus café, Hide silently prayed for a good reaction. With his recorder turned on in his pocket, he ran up to their group, one girl and two guys.

"So, about ghouls," he said bluntly as he got to their table. The three looked at him in bewilderment.

"Uhm, what?" One of the guys said.

"You see, I'm writing a thesis about coexistence with them for my... Cultural Studies class. About how societies can overcome differences and all that. I need some opinions."

"Oh, okay," the girl said, suspicion gone. "Ask away."

Hide inwardly sighed in relief. "If the CCG were able to concoct some over-the-counter RC drugs, maybe synthetic people meat, how would you feel about ghouls integrating into our society?"

"Honestly," the second guy said. "I would move away. Aren't they all murderers?"

"No, not at all," Hide said. "I talked to some... online. On a forum website. They said they really just want to live their lives in peace. Considering that, if ghouls were to come forward and express their support and gratitude that they wouldn't have to fight anymore, would that sway your opinion?"

He seemed to consider the idea, while the first guy spoke up. "If they're convincing about really wanting to live alongside us, I might be okay then, as long as there were more CCG patrols out or something."

"Yeah, I think so too," the girl said. "This would benefit all sides, right? They don't have to hide, and we don't have to be so afraid of them."

Hide tried to contain his cheers as he looked toward the last person at the table. "Would you still move away? Even if they really wanted to just live with us?"

"I dunno," he said. "If they were honest... I guess it would be okay. I wouldn't go out of my way to be friends with them, but I wouldn't pick up my pitchfork and go on any witch hunts either."

"Thanks guys! Appreciate the help!" Hide said as he jogged to another table. _Yes!_ he thought. _This is working!_

* * *

"Hello?" Amon spoke to the cell phone, now sitting on the coffee table. "This is Amon Koutaro."

"Tell me about this 'plan' of yours. You managed to get Kaneki on board, so it can't be total bullshit," Touka said with no small amount of hostility.

Amon looked like a deer caught in headlights.

"Hello? Dove?"

"Sorry, I just didn't expect you to be so... forward."

"Yeah, whatever. You gonna tell me or what?"

"I think ghouls and humans can live together, with help from Kaneki and Hide. With support from both species, the CCG director from this ward will let me lead a new project. Our scientists think they might be able to make synthetic meat, and over the counter RC suppressants."

"Sure, that sounds great. What I don't understand is why you suddenly want to stop killing us and hold hands."

"Kaneki. He convinced me."

Touka sighed. "What do you need from us then?"

"If I could meet with you-"

"No."

"Let him finish, Touka," Kaneki said. "Then decide."

Amon started again. "If I could meet with you and a few other ghouls, I could get the proof I need for the director."

"Proof?"

"Proof that ghouls want to coexist. Nagachika is out talking to humans about it as we speak."

"And if you get this proof... what's the next step?"

"We get started with testing synthetic meat, as well as RC suppressants that can be ingested rather than injected."

Touka seemed to consider the idea. "Fine. We'll meet with you, but on _our_ terms. You'll bring Kaneki, _unharmed,_ and no one else. No weapons."

Amon looked uneasy.

"You won't attack him, right Touka?" Kaneki asked.

"As long as you're okay, then we won't throw the first punch."


	13. Chapter 13

Kaneki read the text from Touka. She sent an address and a time, which was later that evening. Kaneki assumed she wanted to limit Amon's options as much as possible. Giving him so little time, he couldn't hope to get a proper squad together, seeing as it was already after noon.

Kaneki sent a quick text to Hide, explaining who they left to go meet. He responded almost immediately.

 **Hide** : _are u sure this is a good idea? i doubt theyll be fond of amon_

 **Kaneki** : _Yeah, but they're reasonable. Mostly._

 **Hide** : _mostly? that doesnt sound too sure_

 **Kaneki** : _They'll listen if I explain things. As long as Amon doesn't provoke them, we should be fine._

 **Hide** : _just be careful man_

 **Kaneki** : _I will. I promise._

Kaneki watched the buildings as Amon drove to the address Touka sent. After looking it up, Kaneki found it to be an abandoned building at the edge of the ward. At least it would be private.

Amon looked over at Kaneki, obviously concerned about the meeting. "These ghouls... they won't just kill me on sight, right?"

"They shouldn't."

"Needless to say, I don't like this. Especially without my quinque."

"I know, Amon. But trust is a two-way street. If you really want coexistence to work, you'll have to learn to trust ghouls."

Amon sighed, and didn't speak until they arrived at the building. Rather, lack thereof. It appeared to be an abandoned construction project. They had the shell of a concrete structure, but nothing on the interior. The walls and floors were all solid, but that was all there was.

"One hell of a meeting place," Amon said as he took in the sight. He jumped as he saw Touka emerge from the 'doorway.' She motioned for them to follow her, then disappeared inside.

Amon went to follow but was stopped by Kaneki. "Amon, the mask. If they see it, you're a dead man."

Amon nodded and pressed the pad of his thumb against the locking mechanism on the back of Kaneki's head. After a few clicks, Kaneki felt the metal being lifted as Amon removed the mask. He tossed it through the open window of his car. Kaneki rubbed the indentations from his face, then led the way into the building.

"Wait here a bit," Kaneki said. "It'll be better if I explain things first." Amon nodded again and leaned against the wall of the building while Kaneki went inside alone.

Inside, he found Touka waiting along with the rest of his Anteiku family. Nishiki, Irimi, Koma, Yomo, and even Hinami were waiting for him.

As soon as she saw him walk in, Hinami rushed towards him. "Onii-chan!" She shouted as he tackled him.

Kaneki laughed as he fell to the ground, Hinami still clinging to his middle. "Hey Hinami, long time no see," he said. "Did you learn any new words while I was away? I hope Touka didn't let you slack off."

"Of course I did. It was harder without you though," Hinami sobbed. "I missed you onii-chan! How could you leave us like that?"

"I know, Hinami. I'm sorry."

She started hitting his chest in frustration. "You left! You disappeared and I wasn't... I didn't... I thought they killed you!"

"It's okay," Kaneki said softly as he wrapped his arms around her. "I'm here now, and I'm okay, I promise."

Kaneki stayed on the ground while Hinami sobbed into his shirt. "Where's _he_ at?" Touka asked.

"I told him to wait outside. I thought you might want to talk to me first."

"He didn't threaten you, did he?"

"No, he didn't. He's been putting an honest effort towards understanding us. I think he's one of the good guys."

"W- who are you talking about?" Hinami asked.

"Hinami, I want you to listen very closely," Kaneki said. "The reason I couldn't come back... I was with the Doves."

She looked at Kaneki in utter shock.

"I had to go with them," he explained. "If I did, they would save someone very important to me. Since then, I've been talking with one of them, and he thinks that we might be able to end this whole war."

"Stupid Kaneki! If you didn't come back-" Hinami shouted.

Kaneki hugged her closer. "I'm sorry I worried you, but I did come back. I'm not leaving you any time soon."

Nishiki regarded Kaneki with a cold stare. "I'm glad you're alive and all," he said. "But what does this Dove need to meet us for?"

"Listen, he'll explain everything, just don't attack him, alright?" Kaneki pleaded. "He has no weapons, and he's come alone, as requested."

"As long as he doesn't try anything, I'll trust you."

"Thank you," Kaneki said with a sigh of relief. He called out to the man patiently waiting outside. "Amon, you can come in now."

Amon slowly walked into the room, not knowing what to expect. Hinami clung tighter to Kaneki, who stayed seated on the floor. He watched as Amon announced what must have been the most painfully awkward introduction in history.

The ghouls all had different reactions to his explanation. Irimi and Yomo remained passive, Nishiki and Touka were skeptical, and Hinami and Komo were hopeful. Amon continued to explain what he planned on doing with Kaneki and Hide- how he planned on making them the public speakers.

"You just need a recording of us saying that we want to live alongside humans?" Touka asked once Amon was done.

"Yes. That's all we need for the director to let me get started."

"I can't say I'm all for this," Nishiki said. "You are a Dove after all. But Kimi would tell me to hope for the best and to stop being such a pessimist, so I guess I can give you a chance."

"Thank you. All of you. I think this is a real step in the right direction," Kaneki said.

Amon pulled his recorder from his pocket and pressed the button.

* * *

Hide was getting tired of waiting. He read Kaneki's text while he was on his way to a cafe to get more recordings. Since reading his friend's message, he'd sent numerous texts in return, none of which were answered. Kaneki had probably turned his phone off, as usual.

 **Hide:** _hey man. good news! some guys from kamii gave me some pretty solid statements_

 **Hide:** _did u guys get there yet?_

 **Hide:** _they didnt try to eat amon right? that would not be ideal for us_

 **Hide:** _at least tell me u got a taste. i gotta know- was he salty or savory? amon doesnt_ _seem like the sweet type_

Hide gave up after that, figuring spamming Kaneki's phone wouldn't magically make their meeting over any faster. He was just walking in his apartment after returning home, as it was getting dark outside and most of the students had retreated to their dorms to study. Finally, after nearly two hours since his first text, Hide heard his phone chime.

 **Kaneki:** _Everything went well, Hide. Why did you think they'd try and eat him? And even if they did, why would I want to taste? Anyway, we're on our way back now. Try not to trash the place. Again._

Hide chuckled at his friend's message. He always did use proper grammar when texting. It was kind of like texting your grandma. He tried to toss his empty soda bottle into the trash can as he walked toward the sofa, but he heard it hit the ground as it missed the mark.

 _Whoops. Whatever, I'll go pick it up later._

A/N:

I just finished watching Zankyou no Terror and I have to say, it's pretty good. To be honest, I'm thinking about writing a fic for that show too. Soooo, updates here might slow down a bit in the near future. Sorry!


	14. Chapter 14

Kaneki let Amon lead the way back to his car. Once they were safely seated, he wordlessly passed the mask to the investigator and turned toward the window so it'd be easier for Amon to put it on him.

Amon held it for a bit, hesitating. With a small sigh, he tossed it in the backseat.

"Amon, are you sure-" Kaneki turned back to the investigator.

"I am. I'm done with the guards too. And all the lock-and-key. After leaving this meeting intact- I think I'm starting to understand."

Kaneki smiled softly. "Care to elaborate?"

"Oh, I think you know exactly what I'm talking about," Amon said with a chuckle before continuing anyway. "Ghouls really aren't so different from humans, mentally speaking. Obviously, we have different physical needs, but those can be overcome with technology should we bother putting our efforts in that direction.

Considering our relationship alone was enough to change my thought process entirely. You've had plenty of chances to kill me. Yet you've done more than just spare me- you've gone out of your way to make sure other investigators and I lived, on multiple occasions.

Not only that, but those ghouls in there are a family. Your family. I could feel it just by being in the room. Monsters don't act the way you and they do. If anything, I'd say you're more honorable than I could ever hope to be. I won't insult you by keeping you restrained under guard anymore." Amon shook his head rapidly, seemingly to lighten the mood again. "Whew. That felt... surprisingly good to get off my chest."

Sometime during his short speech (Kaneki wasn't sure when), Amon had switched from the lighthearted tone the conversation started with toward something heavier. Kaneki could nearly see an external change in the investigator as well as an internal one. His eyes that once reminded Kaneki of shattered glass- all rough and merciless- now looked like the clear blue sky.

"That's good to hear, Investigator," Kaneki said.

 _One down, the rest of the world to go,_ he thought.

* * *

Hide was about to lose his mind due to the sheer boredom that came with living alone. Before, he always had a task to occupy his time, be it school, his job, or finding his friend. Now that Kaneki was back, school seemed unimportant (not to mention his serious fall in grades; he might as well drop out) and he was promptly fired from his job after associating with a ghoul. Kaneki and Amon could not possibly return too soon.

He was just about to try his hand at making coffee when he heard his front door open and Kaneki's voice come from the hallway. "We're back, Hide."

"Finally! I was about to make some absolutely disgusting coffee, but now you're here to save me."

Kaneki sighed. "Since when did you drink so much coffee... I remember you hardly being able to stomach it," he said, turning the corner into the kitchen.

"Well I couldn't _before,_ but yours is just so good! Really, you should be a barista somewhere... Oh." Hide turned away from the cabinet to face Kaneki. "The metal bits are gone!"

"Yes, about that," Amon said, from behind Kaneki. "I've decided to do away with all of guards and such. In short, you're not necessarily free to just _leave,_ but I trust you'll answer me when I call."

Kaneki passed Amon his cell phone. "Then by all means, put your contact in."

Amon began typing his information. "I'll get some things together back at the office. It shouldn't take but a few days; I'll let you know when we're ready to begin testing."

Hide was practically beaming. "You mean it Amon? You've finally come to your senses? I knew you were more than just a muscled brute!"

Amon smirked as he returned Kaneki's phone. "Yes I have, Nagachika. I guess I'm not as dull and heartless as you thought."

"Well, now that we're all friends, I hereby bestow upon you the right to call me Hide."

Amon gave him a mock bow. "It is truly an honor!" He exclaimed, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

The three laughed while Kaneki began pouring coffee. He held a full paper cup out to the investigator. "One for the road?"

Amon finished it before he even reached his car.

* * *

When Kaneki awoke on the sofa the next morning, he thought the events of the previous day were a dream, too good to be true. He could hear Hide's loud snoring from the bedroom, but he couldn't sense any other humans in the apartment. He slowly reached up to touch his face and found no mask. He even felt a sudden urge to release his kagune, tired of having it forcibly held in for so long.

He quietly pushed the coffee table and sofa against the walls to create a more open space. He was surprised to find his strength almost completely returned. After a long stretch and a short shudder, he relaxed his back and felt all four of his rinkaku 'tails' slowly unfurl. It was painful at first, like trying to walk on a leg after it had been asleep for a while. It didn't occur to his sleep addled mind at the time but having four rather large limbs in such a small space was not a good idea.

Kaneki promptly knocked over Hide's kitchen table.

And all four of the chairs.

Which of course, caused him to flinch, resulting in one of his tails retreating rather abruptly, shattering the lamp on the end table.

Having been woken by all the noise, Hide threw open his bedroom door. He froze at the sight of the pulsing, blood red tentacles coming from his friend's back. Kaneki quickly let them dissipate into dust, before he caused anymore destruction.

"Uhm... Good morning, Hide?" Kaneki said, unsure of how to reconcile the situation.

Hide just stared, dumbfounded.

"Sorry, I just thought I'd stretch, and then-"

"Dude."

"I didn't mean to break everything, but-"

" _Dude._ "

"I know, I'll see if I can get the money to fix it all it just might take me some time-"

"You have to show me."

"Show you... what?"

"Your _kagune,_ man!" Hide was talking excitedly now, shaken out of his earlier speechlessness. "I mean, I've read about it in CCG files and Amon told me what it looked like I've seen it in videos but never in person actually I don't think I've _ever_ seen a kagune in person much less _yours_ but I already knew you'd have one-"

"Hide, you're rambling."

"Oh. Right. Sorry. But now you have to let me see it."

"I just broke your lamp!"

"If you let me see it again, I _won't_ make you pay for the new one. You'll just have to come with me to pick it out."

Kaneki sighed, knowing he didn't have any money for a new lamp. "Fine. But if something else breaks, don't say I didn't warn you." He released his kagune again, much more slowly this time.

Hide stared in awe. "So cool! What do they feel like?"

"Like a tail, I guess-"

"Where do they go when they're not out?"

"I don't know, I've never-"

"Is it skin? Or like exposed muscle?"

"Does it matter-"

"Do they have bones?"

"No, I don't think-"

"Can I touch one?"

"No!"

* * *

A/N:

Sorry it's been a few days, but I've been somewhat busy as of late. I hope you liked this chapter! I know his kagune aren't necessarily 'tails' per se, but that's how they always looked to me.


	15. Chapter 15

A/N: This chapter's an angsty one. I wasn't planning on making it angsty at all to be honest, but then before I knew it the conversation took a real turn. Next chapter, things will pick back up with the CCG (that's the plan anyway). Thanks for reading so far, guys!

* * *

Amon arrived at the office that morning with two recorders in his pocket, feeling hopeful and fulfilled. Upon walking through the doors though, those feelings quickly vanished.

Somehow, word had gotten out of his self-assigned mission, and he could clearly see that the officers of the CCG were less than pleased. The second he walked in, he was bombarded with accusations and insults. It was as if they'd forgotten about his superior rank and long list of achievements he'd obtained working alongside them.

 _Ghoul-lover!_

 _Maybe he's secretly one of those freaks!_

 _How could you do this to us?_

 _The ghouls that killed our families don't deserve to live!_

 _Eyepatch is the worst of them all!_

 _How could you just let him go like that?_

Amon cleared his throat and prepared for the speech he was about to have to give, when suddenly a loud, commanding voice spoke from the elevators.

"Listen up!" The voice was deep, and Amon could easily recognize it.

Instantly, all of the investigators in the vicinity went silent. Those who worked on the lower floors were mostly low in rank; they hadn't had much experience with Special Class Investigator Shinohara before. While he was generally a kind man, he could be stern when the situation called for it.

Shinohara pointed at Amon and everyone standing between them cleared a path, but Shinohara stayed where he was. "That man is your _superior!_ I'll not have this disorder in our headquarters! If any of you have an issue with the way he handles his business, I _suggest_ you send him an email! _Now get back to work!_ "

Severely discouraged, the employees dispersed to continue whatever it was they'd been doing before Amon arrived. He walked over to Shinohara in order to thank him, but he was cut off before he could speak.

"I don't like what you're doing any more than they do. Understand?"

Amon nodded. "Yes, sir. All I ask is that you trust me, for just a while longer."

Shinohara regarded Amon with a cold, calculating stare before walking past him toward the door. Amon shuddered, and needing some alone time with his thoughts, opted to take the stairs.

* * *

"But _Kaaanneeeekkiiii_ , I like this one!" Hide said, pointing at a particularly expensive lava lamp.

"Hide, lava lamps give off almost no light. They're entirely pointless. Please pick one that will actually work," Kaneki said, exasperated.

"Well if you hadn't just whipped it out in my apartment and broke mine..."

Kaneki felt his face heat up while several people around them stopped to stare. "Don't phrase it like that, Hide! We're in public!"

Hide laughed, knowing his words had the intended purpose. "You were too tense. I had to lighten it up a bit. Besides, I wasn't entirely wrong."

Kaneki sighed. The situation was so _domestic_ it nearly gave him chills. He could almost forget how complicated his life was, and just be Hide's best friend, out to buy a new lamp.

After a bit more debate, which Kaneki knew was only in jest, Hide settled on the same basic lamp he had before.

After paying, the pair returned home, glad to finally have no one looking over their shoulder constantly. Hide checked the mail at the mailbox and cringed when he saw a letter from Kamii University in the pile. Once they were inside, he tried to hide it from Kaneki, but it was a hopeless endeavor.

"What's that Hide?" Kaneki asked, as Hide was trying (and failing) to inconspicuously fit the letter in his back pocket. Sadly, the paper was too loud when he tried to fold it.

"O- Oh it's n-nothing," Hide stammered.

Kaneki made use of his superior strength and gently brought Hide's arm between them to look at the letter. "This is from Kamii, man. It can't be nothing; they only send home letters to problem students. So, the question is, why are _you_ a problem student?"

Kaneki opened the letter while Hide tried to explain himself. He just skimmed it, but in short, Hide was failing all of his classes and his lack of attendance meant he was very close to being expelled.

"Geez, _Mom._ I haven't had much time for school lately, so... I haven't exactly... been going."

"Hide-"

"I know you're disappointed, but clearly there were more important things going on."

"I'm not _disappointed,_ I'm _furious!_ "

"Understandable, really, but it's no biggie! I can study hard and go back next year! Student loans will be a bitch, but it's okay, I'll manage somehow."

"Hide, I worked so hard to get you into that school! Day after day, night after night, making study guides and practice tests and _it was all for nothing!"_

"It wasn't all for nothing, I got in!"

" _But now I have to do it all over again!"_

Hide flinched, then took a more serious tone. "Sorry Neki. I know Kamii meant a lot to you, alright? But if _I'm_ this close to being expelled, _you_ most certainly have been , you're worth more to me than any stupid college. I'd gladly drop out again and again if it meant I could find you."

Kaneki's shoulders fell, all the previous vigor gone and replaced with guilt. "Hide, I... I'm sorry. This is all my fault."

"Nonsense!" Hide slapped Kaneki on the shoulder. " _I_ chose to slack off with school, you didn't make me do anything."

"But if I had just done something differently, none of this would've happened. You could still be at Kamii, and you probably wouldn't have nearly died because of me. All I wanted was to keep you safe, and I... I couldn't even do that much. Hide, I _loathe_ myself for it."

Hide paled at Kaneki's confession. He hadn't expected something like this to come from the conversation about Kamii, and this revelation royally pissed him off. "Don't you _dare_ say that Kaneki!"

"You don't understand. What happened to me... I'm _damaged._ And I would do _anything_ to keep you from the same fate. It was selfish of me to return to you like this. Being around me so much... maybe it's not such a good idea."

"I know you've been through some horrifying things. I'm not blind and I won't lie to you- I want to know all of it. But I want you tell me when you're ready. Not because I kept you prisoner. Not because you need to buy my trust with information. And not because you want something in return."

"I can't tell you. Not yet. I only told Amon the summary, so he'd trust me just a little. To be honest... I don't want you to know."

"I know you don't. But no more secrets. No more lies. I'm tired of seeing you tiptoe around me like I'm made of glass, and I'm tired of doing the same thing with you. I just want you to know, beyond any doubt, that I will _never_ leave you. Not now, not ever, _no matter what_. Can you say the same thing to me?"

"I- I don't... _deserve_ someone like you. I could never hope to be the man you are, Hide. Not in a million years. As long as you really want me around... I'll stay for you. Sooner or later you'll realize I'm not worth all this, and when you do, I'll go. Until then, I'll be here."

Hide sighed. "One day, Kaneki, I'll _make_ you understand that you're worth every god damned stitch, every scar, every stupid college expulsion _and then some._ So promise me. I need to hear you say it."

"I promise I'm not going to run away again."

Hide nodded. He wasn't completely satisfied, not by a long shot, but he could live with this compromise. As long as Kaneki didn't run, Hide had time to put the broken pieces of him back together. "Good. Now, how about we fix that lamp, yeah?"


	16. Chapter 16

Three days.

It had taken Amon just three more days to call Kaneki back to the CCG.

And after the call was over, the squad car arrived within the next half hour.

When the car arrived, only Amon was inside. "No offense, but no one else was willing to come pick you up," he said as Kaneki and Hide climbed into the backseat.

"It's not as if this wasn't to be expected," Kaneki said.

"You _are_ certifiably a badass now, Neki," Hide explained. "You're the infamous, SS rated, incomplete kakuja ghoul known as Eyepatch!"

"Sure, but now I'm the _science experiment_ known as Eyepatch. I may be the one to walk into that lab, but _who knows_ what'll walk back out?" Kaneki tried to sound suspenseful, but he only accomplished getting a small laugh out of Amon and Hide.

"You seem... different, Eyepatch," Amon observed. "Eat anyone while I was away?"

"Of course I haven't eaten anyone, Amon. I've just been... working through some things. That's all."

Amon had a feeling there was more to the story, but he knew better than to ask.

Once they arrived at the CCG, Amon told Kaneki to walk at his side. He put his hand on the ghoul's shoulder, to try to portray superiority. "Try to act docile," Amon said. "They know you're not on suppressants anymore, so if they suspect anything they'll attack."

Kaneki nodded and let Amon lead him past the hateful eyes of the guards and into the elevator, all the way up several floors and eventually to what Kaneki assumed was the Research and Development Level.

The elevator doors opened to show a large open room, littered with various machines and equipment. It looked like a warehouse; the floor was concrete and the walls were stone. On the far wall were a half dozen unmarked doors. Unlike the first floor, this one was filled with lab-coat-wearing scientists rather than battle hardened soldiers. When they saw Kaneki, they all shrank away in fear, except for one. He was already somewhat tall, but he looked even more so due to how thin he was. He appeared to be in late twenties, or perhaps early thirties. His head was covered in shaggy blonde hair pulled back in a low ponytail, and he had a lopsided smirk on his face.

"So, you're Kaneki Ken, right?" The man said, holding out a hand. His accent sounded American, but Kaneki couldn't be sure.

Kaneki shook his hand tentatively. "Yes sir."

"Oh! A ghoul with manners! Wherever did you find _this_ one, Amon?" He asked with a smile. "How rude of me! I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Leon. I moved here from overseas, to study ghouls! So fascinating, really. The CCG is the only place that would let me study as I please assuming I report any and all of my findings, so here I am. When Amon suggested this new project to me, I jumped at the opportunity! If humans and ghouls were to live together, I might get to learn more about them, you see."

"O-oh." _He's the first stranger that doesn't seem the least bit frightened. That's refreshing,_ Kaneki thought. Though the amount of energy and enthusiasm within the scientist rivaled that of Hide; it was a bit off-putting for Kaneki, who was usually pretty passive.

"Anyways, we've a lot to get done today. Follow me, please."

Leon led the trio past many different "projects" that were being worked on by other scientists. They walked through one of the unmarked doors Kaneki noticed earlier. It led to another warehouse-like room, only it was much smaller than the first. Kaneki assumed it was for projects that researchers wanted to keep separate from the main floor.

In the center of a room was a large black mat. It was surrounded by metal poles, each supporting a slew of cameras and sensors. In the corner was a punching bag, connected to some sort of machine. To the right of the door was a metal folding table and chairs, which held a clipboard, an expensive looking camera, and papers strewn about. There was a bin next to it, but Kaneki couldn't see inside.

"Ok, young man. I need you to step onto that mat, please," Leon instructed. "Also, remove your shirt."

Kaneki shot the scientist a weird look before cautiously stepping on the mat. It was rather large; there was more than enough room for his kagune to spread out. He had a feeling this was the intention.

"Don't worry, nothing's going to attack you. I rigged it up with cameras, so I can video your kagune from different angles. I have to get to know the subject well before we can _really_ get started. The more accurate our control data, the easier it will be to compare any in the future," Leon said as pulled his own camera from the table. "The amount of data isn't only for our new prototypes you see, but also for my own curiosity. I've never gotten to get so close to a living ghoul before! I can't let this opportunity go to waste!"

Kaneki gulped. This 'Leon' character made him nervous. At this point, he wasn't sure if he preferred being a lab specimen for this guy or a monster stuck in Cochlea. He took his shirt off for him nonetheless. At least Amon and Hide were seated at the table, so he wasn't alone.

"Now, I want you to release your kagune. Yours is a rinkaku type, correct?"

"Yes sir," Kaneki said, and did as instructed. He slowly let his kagune unfurl; moving too quickly after having kept it in was a bit painful.

Leon was absolutely astonished. "Marvelous! This is truly a once in a lifetime experience! Now I'm glad none of the others wanted this job; I can have it all to myself!" He excitedly snapped photos from all over.

"Is there anything you wanted me to do...?" Kaneki asked, afraid to ruin the man's moment.

Leon cleared his throat. "Yes, yes of course. What can you tell me about the flexibility of your kagune in particular?"

"I haven't had any problems, if that's what you mean. It's not like they have bones, so I can move them however I want to."

Seeing Leon's expectant look, Kaneki sighed. He would have to put on a show for this man.

 _For the good of ghoul-kind, for the good of ghoul-kind. You can do this Kaneki, stupid as it may be._

He stretched each tail out to its full length, which reached the edge of either end of the mat. Then he wrapped them around himself like a cocoon, one by one. With each movement, Leon's eyes grew wider. Having half a mind to see if he could pop them out the scientist's skull, Kaneki spread his kagune out behind him like a peacock's tailfeathers.

"Can you control each one individually, or do they always move as one?" Leon asked as he continued to take pictures.

"It takes more concentration, but I can move just one at a time."

"Does it feel like moving an arm, or a leg? Or is it something else entirely?"

"Feels like a tail."

"What's the texture like? It looks like muscle... but a live one _must_ be different from a deceased one."

Kaneki stretched one tail out toward the scientist, slowly so as not to frighten him. "See for yourself."

Hide shot up from the table, throwing his chair back. "No fair Neki! You wouldn't let _me!_ "

Kaneki glared at Hide while Leon's jaw dropped. " _You_ can touch it when you pass the end of course exams for Kamii." Hide picked his chair up and slouched, with a pouty expression.

Meanwhile, Leon had abandoned his camera on the floor and had the expression of a lottery winner. "This is by _far_ the best project I've ever wokred on!"

The scientist didn't even bother with gloves before reaching out to touch the kagune. He slowly set a hand on it, watching Kaneki's expression to gauge how he felt. When the ghoul's face didn't change, Leon applied more pressure in different places.

Leon struggled to describe the feeling. "It's like... hm. Oh! Yes! It's like a really muscular baby."

Kaneki choked, and Hide burst into laughter. Amon tried to hide his smile but failed miserably.

"Elaborate, please," Kaneki said, his voice several octaves higher.

"Well, it's impossibly soft and smooth despite the pattern, but it feels as if it's full of hard muscle." Leon continued to press and probe Kaneki's kagune with less regard for the ghoul, now that he was on a roll. Kaneki felt his face heat up as Leon reached the base of the kagune at the small of his back, where it was most sensitive.

 _Hold it in Kaneki! Come on! He's almost done, right?!_

Kaneki made a choking sound, but Leon ignored it, too engrossed in his observations. Hide, noticing the familiar red expression on his friend's face, grinned evilly.

Hide leaned over to Amon and whispered in his ear, purposely just loud enough for Kaneki to hear. "You're about to discover one of Kaneki's deepest, darkest secrets," he said, ignoring the murderous glare from his friend.

Amon looked alarmed, thinking it was something serious. "What do you mean?"

"See how red he is? Just give it a few more seconds. He's about to break."

Amon started to get up but Hide grabbed his sleeve. "Hold on! I haven't seen it in months! I didn't expect his kagune to trigger it!"

"Nagachika, _what_ are you talking about?"

Kaneki's face was now the color of a tomato and his expression was certainly _not_ an attractive one. When Leon gently placed his hands under Kaneki's ribs to turn him to the side, that was what did it.

Kaneki doubled over and broke out in laughter, unable to contain it any longer. His kagune retreated closer to his body, as if to half-heartedly shield him. He fell to his knees away from Leon, who jumped back, startled.

Hide laughed harder than he had in a long time while Leon and Amon shared a bewildered expression.

"Neki is... insanely... ticklish!" Hide said between bouts of laughter.

Kaneki finally calmed down and was panting from laughing so hard. "Hide! ...That's it! ...When we get back home... you're dead!"

* * *

A/N: I felt like I needed to lighten the mood a little after last chapter, thus the comedic fluff. This chapter was really fun to write. I hope you liked it!


	17. Chapter 17

After the excitement from the previous fiasco died down, Leon continued to test and record different physical and mental aspects of Kaneki. He started off simple, by recording height, weight, and taking various measurements.

"Before we move on, I need you to eat real human flesh."

"You... need me to eat? Now? There's no other way...?" Kaneki asked, knowing full well there wasn't.

Leon looked confused. "Yes, you had to have known you'd eat real meat when you agreed to this. Is there a problem?"

"No, sorry. I just don't like eating."

"Oh, I see. If it's any consolation, it's only a small amount. We know one human body will last a ghoul about a month. It's just a small bite, so any effects should wear off in about twenty-four hours." Leon walked over to the bin next to the table and pulled out a small wrapped package. It was only the size of the man's palm.

Kaneki looked at Hide as he took the package from Leon. "Would you... wait outside? Please?"

"Why?" Hide knew exactly why, he just wanted Kaneki to say it out loud.

"I don't want you to see me like this, Hide."

"What did we talk about just the other day, Kaneki? What was it we agreed on?"

Kaneki sighed, defeated. "No more secrets, no more lies."

Hide nodded. "Yep. I already know what you have to eat, so how does actually _seeing_ it make a difference?"

Amon interrupted them with "Shut up and eat it already so I can go home. This is supposed to be my day off."

Kaneki opened the package and ate the contents in two bites, keeping his eyes closed the whole time. Leon recorded the time, 10:02 a.m., on his notepad.

"Why don't you open your eyes, Kaneki?" Leon asked gently as he took the remnants of the wrapping paper.

"My kakugan activates when I eat," Kaneki explained before realizing what Leon really wanted. "I guess you want to see it then."

Kaneki opened his eyes to see Leon so close their noses were nearly touching, and he suppressed the urge to step back. Though he seemed fascinated by the single black and red eye, Leon did so upon noticing his discomfort.

"Now that I've gotten to know you a bit more, I almost hate to ask this," Leon said. "But I need you to describe the taste for me. On a scale of one to ten will do just fine, but details would be much appreciated."

Kaneki cringed. "It was terrible."

"Honesty, please. This is very important. If the synthetic meat doesn't have close to or the same taste, many ghouls might still opt to kill humans."

Kaneki could see the reasoning behind the question, but he still hated to admit the truth. "It's better than anything I've ever tasted. Somehow salty, sweet, and savory all at once. A solid ten."

After saying it out loud, Kaneki couldn't meet the eyes of any of the three humans in the room. He felt so ashamed for _liking_ the taste of a human.

Leon was unfazed as he wrote the answer down on his notepad. "Alright then. Thank you very much. Now we can move on. The meat should boost your strength to somewhere close to your normal level. Of course, more would make you stronger, but it would last too long. Having leftover strength from real meat would ruin any data we collect from the synthetic stuff."

After the awkwardness of having to eat with an audience, the next few tests went by without a hitch. Of course, Leon was too touchy, Hide made snide comments, and Amon looked like he would _kill_ to have his day off back.

Leon ran mental tests by having Kaneki play a memory game, complete as many simple equations as he could within a few minutes, and solve some complicated logic problems.

For a strength test, the scientist wheeled the punching bag machine onto the mat. He had Kaneki strike it at full force multiple times with each limb, even with his kagune. The machine, which surprisingly held up just fine, made a beep as it recorded the amount of force applied by each hit.

Kaneki thought they might want to test his healing abilities, but Leon said it wasn't needed. Ghoul bodies were undoubtedly more durable than human ones, even without a regularly timed diet.

Once Kaneki had been allowed to rest for a bit, Leon injected him with the standard RC Suppressant currently used by the CCG. Hide was alarmed at first, but Leon explained that just like before with the real meat, a base set of data would be needed for comparison. After today, no further injections would be needed.

The tests were all repeated once the suppressant was in full effect. Unsurprisingly, Kaneki's mind was as sharp as ever. His strength was reduced to near human levels, though. He was still stronger than his petite body should allow, but certainly not much stronger than Amon.

"That should do it," Leon said as he read the data from the machine, recording it onto his clipboard. "Tomorrow, we'll get started with the synthetic meat. So, please don't eat anyone while you're gone!"

Kaneki paled before realizing the man wasn't being serious in the slightest. "Maybe I'll come back and eat _you._ "

"Oh my, that would _not_ be ideal."

"We. Are. Leaving," Amon said with finality while ushering Hide and Kaneki through the door. "I'm starving. And tired. And I want to go _home._ "

"Amon, you sound like a little kid!" Hide said with a laugh. "I bet you were a real whiner."

"I most certainly did not _whine._ I simply expressed my opinions. Loudly."

"Like you have room to talk anyway, Hide," Kaneki said. "When we were kids I could never get you to shut up."

"Like you listened to a word I said. You were too caught up in your books."

Amon listened to their banter as he drove the pair home. Despite his words, he was really starting to enjoy spending time with the two of them. Though it was nearly painful for him to do so, he turned down the usual offer of a cup of coffee in lieu of getting home for some much-needed relaxation. He had a feeling he would be losing a lot more of his days off in the future.

* * *

By the time he walked inside the apartment, Kaneki was exhausted. It was close to sundown, and the suppressants hadn't completely worn off yet even though the dosage was fairly small. He sank into Hide's recliner, trying to listen to what his friend was saying, but even that minimal effort was too much as he was soon unconscious.

… _Blood. So much blood. On his hands, on the walls, on that stupid, hideous checkered floor._

 _"Hey, Kaneki. See this here?"_

 _The white-masked monster was holding up a writhing centipede next to Kaneki's wide, fearful eyes._

 _"This is one of the largest centipedes in Japan. I'm going to let it wriggle around in your ear, okay?"_

 _"No, please!"_

 _Yamori ignored his cries as he coaxed the insect into his victim's ear canal. The further it went in, the louder Kaneki cried._

 _"NO!"_

 _Out! Get it out! He had to get it out!_

 _He shook his head left and right, but the centipede had no intentions of leaving its new home._

 _He could feel it burrowing deeper and deeper into his brain- he couldn't take it! He would do_ anything _to get this creature out of his god damned_ skull!"

 _Suddenly, there was an impossibly warm grip on his wrist. Oh god, was Yamori cutting off his fingers again? With this_ thing _in his head?! Wasn't this_ enough?!"

 _Kaneki did his best to brace himself, but he wasn't prepared for the voice he heard. Was that... Hide? Did Yamori have Hide too?!_

 _"No! Don't! Don't hurt Hide! Please..."_

"Kaneki! Wake UP!"

Having exhausted all other options he could think of, Hide violently grabbed Kaneki by the shoulders and threw him onto the floor.

Kaneki rolled with practiced ease, and sprang onto all fours, his kagune spread wildly behind him. His eyes were vacant, and he looked like an animal poised to _kill._ Hide would never admit it, but he was scared. This... this was not Kaneki before him.

"Come back to me man!" Hide started to move toward the ghoul. However, Kaneki had other intentions. He leapt toward Hide, knocking him to the ground. Making full use of his enhanced strength, Kaneki had Hide pinned, one of his tails pointed an inch above Hide's face.

 _"KANEKI!"_

The ghoul in question choked. "H- Hide?" Realizing the position he was in, Kaneki immediately stumbled back, all traces of his earlier agility gone. His kagune vanished and he couldn't meet Hide's eyes. "Oh my god... What have I done...?"

Hide slowly stood up, rubbing his wrists. "You're back among the living now, right?"

"Did I... Hide, I'm so sorry!"

Hide made to walk over to his friend, but Kaneki only curled into himself and shrank away. "Don't! I don't want to hurt you again!"

"You'd never do that, moron." Hide kept walking toward Kaneki. He sank to the ground next to him.

"Are you... okay?" Kaneki asked tentatively. "Did I hurt you?"

Hide wrapped an arm around Kaneki's shoulder, ignoring the way he felt the muscles tense under his arm. "I am one hundred percent fine. I promise."

"I can't believe I almost... _killed you..."_ The last words were barely more than a whisper but Hide heard them clear as day.

"Hey. _Hey._ Look at me Kaneki."

When Kaneki didn't move, Hide gently turned the ghoul's head with his other hand.

"I am _fine._ Totally, perfectly, completely fine. Stop whatever self-deprecating bullshit I know is going on inside that head of yours."

At the mention of something _going on inside his head_ Kaneki whimpered. "I can't do this. Just call Amon. Tell him to take me back."

"I will do no such thing, and neither will you."

"Hide, I don't deserve this. I'm-"

"Shut up. Don't you dare finish that sentence. You had a _nightmare_ Kaneki. You weren't yourself. I don't hold a damn thing against you."

"You should."

"You weren't just screaming. I heard you say it. ' _Don't hurt Hide. Please.'_ Remember your promise? You'd tell me what happened to you. _All of it._ I think now is the perfect opportunity."

"You said you wouldn't make me tell you until I was ready to talk about it!"

"I know what I said. But this changes things. Night terrors are not something we can ignore, especially if they're this violent. Nothing happened this time, but what if it happens again?"

"That's why it's better if I just leave."

"Or, you could _talk to me._ You know I won't judge you, or leave you, or love you any less than I already do. Talking about trauma is therapeutic, and I think if you would just confide in someone it would help you."

"I just-"

"That's not a _yes._ I want you to be able to trust me, no matter what. You're safe, so _please_."

"Can we... can we go somewhere else? I can't talk about it here. Somewhere open. Lots of grass a-and I want to see the sky."

Through the window, the soft radiance of the sunrise began to shine through.

"Sure thing, Neki. Let's go."


	18. Chapter 18

"Sorry to make you leave, but-"

"No, I understand," Hide said. He'd taken the two of them to a park nearby, where they now sat on the ground in the shade of a huge oak tree. "You needed to be somewhere open, far away from wherever it is you..."

Hide let his words trail off, not knowing how to finish the sentence. Kaneki nodded.

"Did you tell Amon? That we won't be testing today...?"

"Eh, I left him a note. He'll probably try calling later, but we've got a few hours at least."

In actuality, the note read,

 _Hey Amon~!_

 _Kaneki and I have a bit of business to take care of today, so we'll have to postpone our date until tomorrow. Sorry to ditch!_

 _We aren't running away; you can track our phones or whatever it is you do._

 _Just please don't interrupt, okay? I'm begging you._

 _Your faithful paperboy,_

 _Hide_

"He'll definitely be calling later." Kaneki was trying to stall the conversation but Hide mercifully didn't say anything.

Usually, Hide appreciated Kaneki's quiet company. He found it soothing. A reminder he wasn't alone, but without any pressure to fill the space with empty sounds.

Now though, the silence was thick and heavy. What usually brought him comfort was now suffocating him. It took all of Hide's willpower to keep his mouth shut.

"So... do you know about the Aogiri raid?"

"I didn't participate, but yeah, I read the files."

"Do you remember any specific ghouls they found? The one they called... Jason?" Kaneki's voice grew even softer at the mention of the ghoul's nickname.

"I remember reading about him. How they found him barely breathing after being partially eaten alive. I don't feel any pity; the sick bastard got what he deserved. They said his last victim turned on him. There were _fingers and toes_ all over the bloody ground."

"…Those were mine."

Oh.

Kaneki cracked his knuckles, one by one.

 _Oh._

Hide felt hot tears leave trails down his cheeks. Kaneki sat next to him, arms wrapped tightly around his legs.

"Why? Why did he do that to you?" The question was barely a whisper.

"Because he liked it. He didn't _want_ anything from me. No information. No big secret. Nothing. He just... liked it."

Something inside Hide shattered. Kaneki's voice was so _empty_ he couldn't stand it. He leaned over and cried into his friend's shoulder.

"How long... were you... there?" Hide's voice was muffled by his Kaneki's jacket and his own crying.

"Ten days. I was chained to that damn chair for ten days."

"So he...?"

"He ripped them off. They grew back. He took them again. Over and over. Every day."

"Oh god... I'm so sorry Kaneki!" Hide wailed.

Despite knowing it would be excruciating, Kaneki allowed himself to _feel._ He cried silently, but he still cried nonetheless.

"That wasn't all of it."

 _How could there possibly be more?_

"I wasn't alone there. A couple... they tried to help me."

"Are they the reason you got out?" Hide said with foolish hope.

"They died." Kaneki was trembling now. He couldn't form the words right anymore. "W-when he found out they t-tried to h-help me, Yamori told me to p-pick one to live, and to pick one to d-die. He said... he said h-he was having f-fun but what he r-really wanted to b-break was my m-mind. I... I c-couldn't do it. I couldn't... pick one."

 _So both of them were killed,_ was left unsaid.

Not wanting to hear anymore but knowing it was needed, Hide asked, "How... did you escape...?"

Kaneki chuckled, but it was hollow. "A centipede."

"…a _w-what?"_

"He p-put it in my ear. It m-made me go c-crazy. That's when... I s-saw _her."_

 _Who?_

"Rize."

Hide remembered her to be the girl Kaneki went on the date with, who turned out to be the infamous Binge Eater.

"She was just in my head, but... I _talked_ to her. She told me I had toaccept it. That I was a ghoul now. She said if I did... I'd get stronger."

"Did you?"

"I escaped, didn't I?"

"So... you're the one... who ate him?"

"I wanted him to _hurt,_ Hide. I wanted him to _scream._ So, I made him. Fighting him... wasn't even a challenge. I could've _saved_ that couple if only I'd done something _sooner._ I could've saved so many people. Instead... I hurt so many more."

Kaneki grew silent, prompting Hide to speak up.

"Kaneki." Hide picked his head up from Kaneki's shoulder.

He flinched at the sound of his own name. _This is it,_ he thought. _This is the part where Hide finally realizes who- no_ what _I am. I'm sorry..._

But Hide didn't leave. He didn't get angry. Rather, he spoke the words Kaneki didn't realize he had been waiting to hear for so long.

" _It's not your fault."_

Kaneki looked at Hide with a tear-streaked face, in disbelief.

"None of it. _None of it_ is on your shoulders, okay? Don't you think that for a _second._ "

"You don't know, Hide! The things I did for Aogiri..."

Hide wrapped an arm around Kaneki's shoulders. "Tell me then. Tell me, so when you're done and I know _everything,_ I can say it again. I can say it's not your fault, and maybe if I say it enough times, you'll believe it."

Kaneki leaned into the safety he felt with Hide. "I can't. You'd run. I know it's selfish of me, but I _need_ you to stay."

"Run to where? The only time I've ever really _run_ was to catch up to you, Neki."

So, Kaneki told Hide everything. From the moment he told Touka he was leaving Anteiku, all the way up to the raid where they'd met again. Unlike before, Hide just listened.

With every word, Kaneki felt weight being lifted from his shoulders. He felt lighter. If he was stupid enough to let himself hope for it, he might even be able to feel _happy._ Not a fleeting bit of contentedness, but _real_ happiness. The kind that lasted.

He expected Hide to leave him, but his arm never left his shoulders and his heart never sped up in fear. Even after everything he'd done, Hide made him feel as if he _deserved_ to be happy.

When Kaneki was done, Hide asked, "So can I say it again?"

"Only- only if it's the truth."

Hide tightened his grip around his friend. "It's. Not. Your. Fault."

For the first time in _too long,_ Kaneki let himself be held. He let himself believe he wasn't a monster.

For the first time since becoming a ghoul, he thought he might one day be okay.

* * *

When it was clear they were done talking, Amon switched off the receiver while sitting on Hide's couch.

Back before he had any real trust in Kaneki, he'd bugged Hideyoshi's beloved jacket after allowing the two to live together. He couldn't forgive himself if the kid's blood ended up on his hands. Though, he'd stopped recording the audio not long after the move, when it was obvious that nothing too serious would happen.

The small speaker had switched on when he removed his jacket that night, and the screaming had woken him up. He rushed over at the sound of the scuffle, but by the time he'd arrived they were already gone.

He felt guilty for having listened to their private conversation, but he couldn't bring himself to stop. It was like he met the ghoul for the first time again. Even with everything he'd been through, he never let himself sink to the level of... well... a ghoul.

Amon tucked the recorded audio into his pocket and left to go to the CCG. What he was about to do was unforgiveable, but if it meant achieving their goals, he prayed Kaneki could forgive him someday.

* * *

A/N: Normally I'd follow the angst with some fluff, but... sorry not sorry! Haha I do feel a bit bad about the cliffhanger though.


	19. Chapter 19

A/N: The more I write the Hide and Kaneki interactions the more I sort of wish I'd made them have a bit more than just brotherly love. Ugh their relationship in this fic _is_ platonic, but I might rewrite a new version of this where it's not. Or just make a separate HideKane fic with a lot more fluff. I compensated for now with putting some in this chapter.

It's so hard keeping a bit of romance out of this! _

Also, the comments from you guys are epic for real .

* * *

Amon soon realized within five minutes of attempting to edit the audio files later that morning that he was absolutely terrible with computers.

He'd been at it for hours; it was almost noon already. He'd first gathered the recordings from their meetings when the ghoul was still captive in the basement levels. He listened to each of them again, skimming the parts he knew wouldn't be useful.

He had included most of the conversation with Kaneki about his friendship with Hide. He'd recorded his conversation with Hide in the back of Shinohara's car too; one could never be _too_ thorough. At the time he was looking for a reason to label Eyepatch as just another merciless ghoul so he'd feel less guilty about hunting him. Ironically, Amon was now using that conversation to _help_ him.

There was also quite a bit of information regarding the daily life of a ghoul in general. He now had insight straight from the source alongside his own knowledge and experiences. It was irrefutable proof that ghouls were forced to live a harsh life, despite most of their intentions. He used the bit about the Anteiku ghouls as well.

With the conversation he'd mistakenly eavesdropped on, he had the final piece of the puzzle. He tried (with great difficulty) not to include anything _too_ graphic, but it was clear Kaneki had been tortured, and that he mutilated his captor. The most important part was what came after that, when Hide reassured Kaneki. While he had Hide and Kaneki talking about each other separately, he now had proof that the two would do nearly anything for each other.

Once Amon had ordered the hodgepodge of audio clips in way that was as easy to follow as it was ever going to be, he went to work muffling all the names. He also removed anything that would link the human Kaneki Ken to the ghoul they called Eyepatch.

 _Why does Nagachika insist on calling him '_ Neki' _anyway? Sounds almost like '_ neko'. _I can see the resemblance, though, with his white hair and skittish demeanor._

By the time he was done and the new track was on his flash drive, his stomach was growling. He'd skipped breakfast, and now it was well after time for lunch. Good. He had time to think about his plan over a burger or three. After sending Hide a sketchy text about 'Leon being too sick to work today' (he figured he'd let the two have the day off since they planned on ditching anyway), he drove to Big Girl.

* * *

Hide couldn't shake the uneasy feeling in his chest. Though Amon had said they wouldn't be coming in today, he couldn't help but think something was off. Kaneki didn't seem to think anything of it though, so he decided to spend the rest of the day in some much-needed rest and relaxation after such a serious conversation.

"Hey Kaneki," Hide said as he watched the other collapse face-down on the sofa. "I think I'll try making the coffee this time."

"No. No way. Those beans are too expensive to replace after you waste them all."

"You're too tired to do it since you haven't slept at all. Besides, wouldn't it be a nice change of pace to have someone else make it for you?"

"Hide, you haven't slept much either. And tired or not, I'm still a SS rated ghoul. It would _not_ be wise to stand between me and my favorite coffee."

"Well, you can sit your SS rated ass on the couch and sleep while I figure it out."

"Don't you dare touch my coffee, Hide."

"Then how about you tell me what to do from the couch, while I make it?"

Kaneki grumbled a 'fine.'

"So, what do I do first?"

"Water in the kettle on the stove."

"Alright, what next?"

"Grind the beans. Not too much. Like sea salt," Kaneki's voice was growing quieter.

"Easy. Now what?"

"Pour 'em in the filter. Over the little pitcher."

"So now I pour the water, right?"

"200 degrees."

"What?"

"200-degree... water. Wet all the beans. Then... let it drip."

Hide did what Kaneki instructed to the best of his ability. He remembered hearing Kaneki call this a 'bloom.'

"Ok, what do I do now?"

"Pour... spiral. Slow... not too... much," Kaneki's voice trailed off until he couldn't be heard anymore. Hide guessed he had fallen asleep. He was never one for snoring but Hide remembered when they were kids and Kaneki would roll over and move around constantly. Sometimes he'd even talk in his sleep.

Kaneki grumbled something incoherent, his face in the pillow. Hide heard a concerning crackling sound, then a loud bang. He looked up from watching the coffee drip to find Kaneki sprawled out on the floor, his kagune strewn around him.

Despite having rolled off the couch, he was still asleep.

 _Now's my chance,_ Hide thought with a grin. He crept closer and closer to Kaneki.

Hide reached a tentative hand out to the kagune, not wanting to wake their owner. Once he was close enough, he slowly poked it with his finger. Kaneki twitched, but his kagune stayed still.

For Hide, that was as good an invitation as any.

He laid an open palmed hand on the kagune, and it flinched back towards Kaneki a bit. Hide continued to poke and prod it, ignoring his friend's murmured protests. It really was smooth, despite its appearance. The subtle pattern made it look like it'd be scaly, though it was incredibly soft. Hide figured that if Kaneki wanted, he could make it much harder and sharper than it currently was.

While Hide kept messing with the kagune to his heart's content, Kaneki's eyes opened blearily. When he took in what was happening, the kagune quickly retreated into his back.

"Aww, come on Kaneki!" Hide protested.

"Don't even."

"Fine, fine. The coffee should be done by now, care to give it a try?"

"Should I be worried?"

"I did follow your half-assed instructions to the _letter._ "

"Okay..."

Kaneki returned to the sofa while Hide poured two cups of the freshly made coffee. Handing one mug to Kaneki, he held his own in his hand. He wanted to see the other's reaction before he tried it himself.

Gingerly picking up the mug, Kaneki gave the coffee a test sniff.

"It doesn't smell terrible..." He said.

"Go on then! Try it!" Hide urged.

"I've fought countless investigators and ghouls alike, and I've never been as anxious as I am now."

"That's not fair."

"Your coffee used to be so bad you couldn't even brew the instant packs."

"Yeah, yeah whatever. Just drink it already!"

Kaneki slowly raised the mug to his mouth and took a very small sip. He blinked in surprise, then went back for another. "Hide, this isn't that bad! One might even say, it's good!"

"Really?" Hide tried his own mug.

While it wasn't _bad,_ it couldn't hold a candle to Kaneki's. He figured that if he liked black coffee, he could probably drink it, but instead he went back to the kitchen for sugar and cream.

After finishing their coffee, Kaneki said, "Not a bad first try. Next time though, I'll show you how to do it properly. When I'm less tired."

"Yeah, that sounds good."

"And Hide?"

"Mmhm?"

"I thought I said you could only touch my kagune once you passed the Kamii exams."

"Uhm..."

"Which reminds me, I never got back at you for what you did in the lab the other day."

"That's _really_ not necessary..."

"But a promise _is_ a promise, Hide."

"Promises are meant to be broken!"

"Not mine, they're not!" Kaneki sprang from the couch and threw the pillow, which hit Hide squarely in the face.

"Oh, that's it! You've done it now, Neki!" Hide made a tactical retreat to his bedroom, where the majority of his pillows were stashed. As soon as Kaneki rounded the corner, he was pelted with all the throw pillows previously on Hide's bed.

Within just a few minutes, the rather large quantity of Hide's pillows were all over the floor of the apartment. One of them had ripped in the scuffle, leaving bits of stuffing everywhere.

"I think... I've won this one," Hide said, panting. He'd collapsed on the ground.

"Fat chance," Kaneki scoffed from the floor beside him.

* * *

Back at the office, Amon stared at the window open on his computer. It was an email, addressed to the top media outlets in the city. It was comprised of one line, _They're not all monsters,_ and an attached audio file. The subject line read, _From an Anonymous CCG Investigator._

Even though he'd made a separate email account to help protect his privacy, a simple button had never before looked as daunting as it did now.

Gathering an impressive amount of courage and resolve, Amon pressed 'send'.


	20. Chapter 20

Kaneki woke to the sound of Hide screaming at Amon from across the apartment.

"Amon, _you had no right!_ "

"If you would just _listen-_ "

"That was a _private conversation!"_

"It was never my intention to eavesdrop-"

"I don't give a damn about your _intentions!_ You still did it! _And that's not even the worst part!_ "

Kaneki groggily rolled out of Hide's bed, unsure of how he got there to begin with. He figured his friend just didn't want him rolling off the couch again.

He slowly peeked through the door, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. "Hide? What's going on?"

The expression on Hide's face was one Kaneki could honestly say he'd never seen before. He never would've guessed his bright, playful friend could be capable of such dark _rage._

"Kaneki... I'm so sorry..." He said, shoulders sagging.

Amon's face was red with embarrassment, and was that guilt?

Just then, Kaneki heard his own voice float from the television in the living room.

 _"I could've saved so many people... instead I hurt so many more."_

Kaneki paled, remembering the words he spoke yesterday morning. Then, Hide's voice followed, the steadfast loyalty evident even through the static.

 _"It's not your fault."_

A reporter's voice followed, saying "As you can see, this audio tape that we received yesterday evening shows the unlikely _friendship_ between a human and a ghoul. The rest of the track is on our website, but we must warn you the contents can be rather graphic-"

"Amon... you didn't..." Kaneki's voice was filled with betrayal, and it broke Hide's heart. He seemed to curl into himself again, reverting to how he was when he was stuck in the basement cell.

"I had _nothing_ to do with this, Neki. I swear it," Hide said firmly. He took a cautious step toward his trembling friend. When Kaneki didn't back away, Hide gathered him a tight embrace. "I'm so sorry. I never meant for this to happen."

Kaneki broke down in Hide's arms, in utter shock. He knew he was going to go public with some of his story eventually, Amon had told him as much. But _that_ was between him and Hide alone. _He_ was supposed to dictate his _own_ story. For all his secrets to be put on television, out of his control... it was nothing short of devastating.

"How could you do this? You _knew_ I didn't want it to happen this way!" Kaneki was furious, but he couldn't bring himself to leave the shelter Hide offered.

"I know, Kaneki. I feel terrible, but I won't apologize. With the amount of time it took you to tell someone as close as Nagachika, it was going to take too long to go public."

"I don't care _how long it would've taken! It's my life! I get to decide!"_

"Under normal circumstances, yes, you would, but as I'm sure you're aware-"

"Shut up Amon," Hide cut him off. "Just get out."

Amon sighed. He knew they'd hear about the tape eventually, but he didn't expect them to find out so soon. They would need time to calm down enough to let him explain. "The bug's in your inner jacket pocket," he said as he left.

Hide brought Kaneki over to the couch and sat him down while he muted the television. "I thought he might be different," Hide said. "I guess I was wrong. He's just like all the other investigators."

Kaneki didn't say anything; he just read the headline along the bottom of the screen.

 _Humans and Ghouls: Is There Another Way?_

In slightly smaller text, it read:

 _An anonymous audio file shows a human and ghoul who want peace. What could this mean?_

Noticing where Kaneki's attention was, Hide turned the screen off. "Ignore it, Kaneki. Amon was _beyond_ wrong to do this. At least he kept our names out of it."

"He... he put _everything_ out there?"

"I don't know, I haven't listened to it myself. I was just flipping through channels when I saw this."

"Could you listen to it please? Sorry, I just- I need to know what's on it."

Hide smiled softly. "Sure thing. You want me to listen now, or later?"

"Now. I really need to know, I just can't hear it myself."

"Alright. I'll go get my headphones. I'll be at the kitchen counter, okay?"

"Yeah. That's good."

Hide reluctantly left Kaneki alone on the sofa while he pulled the site up on his phone. The track was longer than he thought it would be; it was nearly thirty minutes. "It's about half an hour, Kaneki. This'll take a bit."

Kaneki nodded, and retreated to the corner of the living room. When he was inevitably evicted from his own apartment, Hide had gone to gather as many of Kaneki's things as he could. The ghoul's beloved bookshelf now adorned the living room, as well as a cardboard box of his old textbooks, notebooks, and a few knickknacks. His clothes were crowding Hide's closet.

Needing the familiar comfort of a good book, Kaneki grabbed his copy of _Monochrome of Rainbows._ He couldn't bring himself to read _The Black Goat's Egg_ anymore. Rationally, he knew it was just a book, but it was the one that had sparked the first conversation between him and Rize. The collection of short stories though, was what brought him closer to Hinami. It reminded him of his friends back at Anteiku.

He tucked himself into the corner of the sofa and struggled to pay attention to the words. The short stories were easier to follow than the novels, but the morning was already a whirlwind and he could barely get his own thoughts together enough to read even those.

It had taken him an uncharacteristically long amount of time to finish the first story, but it worked out in the end; Hide rose from his stool just as Kaneki turned the last page.

"So, it's not as bad as we thought, if I can even say that," Hide said with a sigh of relief. "It's mostly what you talked to Amon about before they let you move in with me. There's one conversation between me and Amon. He cut most of what you told me yesterday out. There's nothing about what you did under Aogiri, and only a little of what happened before that."

"Still... I didn't want all of that to be public. I thought I would get a chance to choose what gets out. The last thing I need in my life is people's pity."

Hide sat next to Kaneki on the couch. "I know. This is seriously unfair. But, and I know this is _so_ not what you want to do right now, _but_ you shouldread these." Hide passed Kaneki his phone. It was scrolled below the audio player to the comments section.

"Hide, why would I want to read these? They can't be any good."

"Please? Trust me on this."

Kaneki looked back at the small screen, reading the first few comments. He blinked in surprise.

 _This is so sad!_

 _I thought humans had it bad, but ghouls have it worse..._

 _Could working together really be possible?_

 _This is just crazy. We were told ghouls are all monsters!_

 _The CCG needs to tell us the truth!_

Aside from the occasional nasty message, most of the comments were positive.

A text from Amon appeared at the top of Hide's phone.

 _I know neither of you will speak with me right now, but Leon still needs Kaneki to come in. I'm sending Shinra to pick you up._

True to his words, a knock sounded on the door thirty minutes later. Judging by the awkward silence in the car, Shinra knew what had happened. He accompanied the two all the way to the lab, but never said a word. Aside from a few pitiful glances, he hardly acknowledged Kaneki's existence at all. He wasn't trying to be rude; he just couldn't think of anything to say to the ghoul without sounding fake or rehearsed.

Leon ran the usual tests, but like Shinra, he hardly said anything. To make matters worse, the day was a catastrophic failure. The meat tasted like garbage, and the tablet suppressant did nothing to curb his strength.

The next few days were the same, with Amon avoiding them and the television stations covering Kaneki's story. There were many debates, with a wide variety of points argued. Some people were all for ghoul integration _(Think of all the ways their strength could benefit society!),_ while others were afraid of the repercussions _(Their diet means they pose a threat to humans by merely existing, regardless of whether it's their fault or not.)_. The only compromise lied with Leon's ability to create a synthetic meat for ghouls, which was proving to be rather difficult.

While he was able to create one that eliminated Kaneki's hunger, Leon wasn't able to get the taste right, and the taste was nearly as important as the functionality. The tablet suppressant came easier, and though it was slightly less potent than the injection, it still did its job.

Touka called him too, and it had taken an absurd amount of convincing from Kaneki to keep her from going after Amon herself. Eventually, he was able to calm her down to _infuriated_ rather than _on a murderous rampage._ Kaneki knew she was only looking out for him but he hoped she didn't feel bad for him like everyone else so far that day.

* * *

After five days since the television broadcast, Amon still hadn't spoken to either Hide or Kaneki. He still waited in the room alongside Leon so he could monitor their progress, but he never said a word. It was creating a rather uncomfortable tension in the room. Even after all of Hide's glaring, he still wouldn't leave.

"It's... good," Kaneki said with surprise after the first bite of Leon's latest concoction.

Leon pouted. "Just _good?_ Just _good_ isn't good _enough._ "

"No, it's really good," Kaneki corrected himself after taking another bite. "I think it's perfect, Leon!"

"Really?"

"Really."

"I'll be right back," Leon said as he jogged toward the door. "We'll get started making more as soon as possible!"

Amon cleared his throat, his voice sounding odd after they were getting used to its absence. "I'm glad we were able to finally get somewhere. This is great, especially since I got an interesting email earlier today."

"About what?" Hide spat out, his previously cheerful expression dying instantly.

"The news station. They want to know if you'd agree to an interview."

* * *

A/N: Sorry this chapter was a bit lackluster. It was more of a transition chapter, so it was considerably harder for me to write. Updates to make up for it soon, I promise. :)


	21. Chapter 21

"An interview?" Hide asked.

"Yes. They want to talk to the both of you, but mostly you, Hide."

"Me? I thought they wanted to talk to the infamous Eyepatch." Hide was incredulous.

"No offense, but not only do they feel they already know Kaneki, they also don't see him as much of a _person._ To them, he's still just a ghoul."

" _Just_ a ghoul, huh?" Hide's tone darkened. "Is that not what _you_ think, Amon?"

"Obviously that's not what I think. This entire time, I've been ignoring the fact that all of the CCG hates me for trying to help you. In time, I'd like to think we could be friends."

Hide scoffed. "Friends, huh? If that were the case, you'd have talked to us, or at least _warned_ us before doing what you did."

"Hide," Kaneki said quietly. "Lay off a bit, will you? Maybe... this is our chance. This way I can talk to humans as myself without them trying to kill me."

"Sorry, but I can't forgive him yet, Neki," Hide said harshly. "Though maybe an interview wouldn't be so bad. I just don't like the premise of it."

"That's my only concern, really," Amon said, passing Hide his phone. "That's the email they sent me there. They want to do a video call; they won't do anything in person. The topics they want to ask about are listed, too."

"'The human's current relationship with the ghoul,' 'The history between the human and the ghoul,' 'The way the human feels about the ghoul,' 'Does the human benefit from the ghoul,' and 'Has the human ever been harmed or threatened by the ghoul,'" Hide quoted. "This is ridiculous. This makes it seem like they don't care about Kaneki at all!"

"Honestly, I don't know if they do or not. Think from their point of view; they want to see for themselves if integration of ghouls into our society is worth it for the humans."

"I just don't think this-"

"Let's do it," Kaneki cut Hide off. "This is the opportunity we've been waiting for, right? If they want to see me as nothing more than a ghoul, that's fine. They're not wrong for it."

"Are you sure, Kaneki?" Hide asked.

"Yes. There's no point in trying to argue _what_ I am..."

"So instead, we'll show them _who_ you are," Hide finished. "I get it now."

"They want to do it tomorrow for a six o'clock segment. Is that alright?" Amon asked.

"I mean, that's fine but why so soon?"

"They probably want your answers to be spontaneous. Less time means fewer rehearsed responses. And since it's a video call, neither you nor they really need much time to prepare anyway."

"We can blur out our faces or something, right?" Kaneki asked. "I want to be able to walk outside without getting attacked."

"That can be arranged, yes."

"Let's do it then. Hide?"

"If you're in, I'm in."

* * *

The next day, Hide and Kaneki were desperately trying to find something decent to wear.

They couldn't look like slobs, so Hide's beloved t-shirts and hoodies were out. While Kaneki had more than enough nice sweaters, his petite body made it impossible to loan Hide any clothes. Amon knocked at the door just as Kaneki was sifting through the last few hangers in the closet, trying to find something that _might_ fit his friend.

Hide abandoned his drawer filled with bright, loud fabric to open the door, wearing nothing but his black tank top and boxers. This sight was far from what Amon was expecting. "What are you wearing Nagachika? We're supposed to start in-" Amon checked his watch. "thirty minutes!"

"It's... a long story, okay?"

"In other words, your lack of dress clothes has finally come to bite you in the ass."

Hide looked away. "I've never needed anything nicer than what I have now. I thought I'd borrow something of Kaneki's, but he's too small."

Kaneki called from the bedroom. "Hide! I've got something!"

Amon brought the camera bag into the living room to set up while Hide returned to the bedroom.

Kaneki was holding up a plain white button down. "This'll work I think. I bought it on sale, but it was too big for me."

Hide tried it on. The shoulders fit fine, but the torso was too small to button and the sleeves stopped just above his wrists, at an awkward length.

"Here," Kaneki said as he sloppily rolled up the sleeves to Hide's elbows. "If you leave it like that, it's fine. Looks like you're a stylish sort of messy."

Hide laughed. "Messy but stylish? Sure, I'll take it. I think I have a pair of regular jeans around here somewhere."

Ten minutes later, the pair walked out into the living room. Hide in the button down and his (only) normal jeans, and Kaneki in his khakis and blue knit sweater.

Amon looked the two of them up and down. "Your white hair might throw them off a bit, but at least it goes with the outfit. Nagachika looks slightly less hopeless, so I guess it's a start."

Amon continued to fiddle with the video camera on the table while Hide sat on the couch. Kaneki retreated to the kitchen to make coffee. He made a larger cup than usual, with the intention of giving himself something to do without looking restless or nervous while he let Hide do most of the talking.

When he returned to the sofa, the camera was set up on a small tripod and connected to a laptop, with a video call app pulled up. It was five forty-five, and they were instructed to connect the call at five fifty. They would be live right at six.

Kaneki passed Hide a cup of coffee, several shades lighter than his own. Amon was tilting the lens to get the two of them in frame.

"We _are_ blurring our faces out, right?" Kaneki asked.

"Yes. I'm just going to keep the camera out of focus, so the whole thing will be blurry."

"As long as you can't completely tell what we look like, it doesn't matter to me." Kaneki watched as their image on the laptop became more distorted while Amon twisted various knobs on the side of the camera. A notification appeared in the center of the screen, with some small text above a green 'accept call' button and red 'decline call' one.

Amon looked at the two of them. "Ready?"

"As we'll ever be," Hide said as Amon clicked the mouse.

The blurry image of Hide and Kaneki shrunk into the corner, and the screen was soon filled with another video feed. Now there was a large desk, with a female reporter sat behind it.

Evidently, she was getting ready to start their segment. The weatherman could just barely be heard finishing up his forecast from some other part of the studio.

"Can you hear me?" She asked in an exasperated tone, as if interviewing a ghoul and a human was the last thing she'd planned on getting herself involved in.

"Yeah, all good," Hide answered.

She nodded and began reading the papers on her desk. Kaneki assumed they were whatever questions she'd prepared already. As soon as the clock at the bottom of the screen read six o'clock, her annoyed expression instantly perked up. Suddenly, this was her dream job.

"As promised yesterday evening, the time has come for the interview of the now-famous interspecies duo. In order to protect their privacy, the image has been blurred, and their names will not be mentioned."

A red circle appeared on the laptop to indicate that they were now live on television alongside this reporter.

"Now to kick things off, which of you is the ghoul, and which of you is the human?"

* * *

A/N: This was a bit later than expected, but it's here now. I've (kind-of) been making it all up as I go along, so sorry for any discrepancies. Hope this chapter was a-okay!


	22. Chapter 22

"Now to kick things off, which of you is the ghoul, and which of you is the human?"

Kaneki flinched at her tone but Hide didn't bat an eye as he pointed to himself and said, "That'd be me, one hundred percent human."

At first glance, Hide seemed carefree and content, but Kaneki didn't miss the way the curve of his brow twitched as it often did when he was upset. It was less noticeable than he remembered, but still there.

The reporter addressed Kaneki. "Then _you_ must be Eyepatch. Though I guess your code name has recently been updated to Centipede. You are still SS rated, am I correct?"

Kaneki nodded shakily. "Y-yes, that's right."

She returned her attention to Hide. "Are you really comfortable with him free as he is? You don't feel he should be in restraints?"

Hide put an arm around Kaneki, who was already awkwardly reaching for his coffee only three questions in. "I'm most comfortable when Ka- uhm, my _best friend_ is here with me."

"You're not frightened at all? It's an SS rated ghoul and you're sitting next to it."

Hide lost all false carelessness he'd been carefully maintaining and his voice was stern. "My best friend is not an _it._ I would appreciate it if you'd show him the respect he deserves."

The reporter paled; she hadn't realized how rude she was. After all, she didn't think of Kaneki as human. "Sorry if I offended you."

"Don't apologize to me, apologize to him."

Kaneki spoke quietly, "It's fine, okay? We knew it would be like this, remember?"

Hide relaxed his shoulders. "Sorry, I just got a little worked up. To answer your question, no. I could never be scared of him. If anything, I know I'm safer than if he weren't with me."

The reporter cleared her throat before trying to salvage the situation by changing the topic. "I think we should probably move on. How did you two meet exactly?"

"The first or the second time?" Kaneki asked.

"To recap- we know you were human before you became a ghoul via an organ transplant. I'd like to know how and why you split, as well as how you reunited."

Kaneki realized this one was on him; Hide couldn't exactly explain why his friend left him. "When I... uhm... discovered what I was, I was scared. And I tried to remain friends, but the whole time we were together I was terrified I might hurt him, so I just ran."

"You never considered just telling him what happened?"

"Of course I thought about it, but I didn't want to put Hi- him in that position so I didn't."

"But you were able to reconnect eventually, right?"

Hide took over, noticing Kaneki's discomfort. "See, he wasn't aware I already knew he was a ghoul. So, after he left, I chased him, which led me to the CCG. Seems counterproductive, I know, but they had information on all the known ghouls. Seemed as good a place to start as any. Unfortunately, this decision ended up with me nearly dead in the 20th ward raid. That's where we found each other."

"You mean to tell me the ghoul saved your life?" The reporter was incredulous.

"He gave up his freedom so a certain _anonymous investigator_ would bring me to the hospital. Turned himself in, knowing they'd probably kill him, just so I'd have a _chance_ at survival. He's literally the reason I'm alive right now, so the prejudice needs to be dropped before we continue."

Kaneki's face turned an unhealthy shade of red, and even Amon gave Hide a look of respect from behind the camera.

The reporter was startled by how unexpectedly aggressive Hide was being and stuttered while asking Kaneki the next question. "H-how were you able to stay alive then? With all the investigators around?"

"I did whatever they asked me to do, I guess," Kaneki shrugged. "I talked to them about what they wanted to know, in exchange for books and things to pass the time."

"After a lot of begging," Hide picked up, "They finally agreed to let him move in with me so I didn't have to see him in such a musty cell."

The reporter seized the opportunity for another topic. "In that case, would you say you benefit from living alongside a gh- ahem, your friend?" She caught herself before she incurred Hide's wrath for the third time.

"Absolutely. He makes the best coffee I've ever had!"

"You don't really keep me around just for the coffee, do you? I'm worth at least... uhm..."

"Your witty sense of humor?" Hide offered. "Your ability to read at the speed of sound? Your expensive taste in toiletries I have to pay for? Seriously, who needs more than two hair products? It's _white._ It's actually impossible for you to lose any more color."

"Says the one with all the sloppy bleach. Besides, if I want it to grow back, I have to take care of it!"

"I say just leave it. At least the white looks interesting."

Just like that, they'd forgotten about the interview entirely. Kaneki reveled in how easy it was to forget all the wrong in the world when he was with Hide. The reporter loudly coughed to get their attention. She then asked, "How would you describe your current relationship, then? As friends?"

"No," Hide said. "We're much more than just friends. I'd say we're more like brothers. No matter what happens, I know he'll be here for me, and I'll do the same for him."

"Do you think it's possible for more ghouls and humans to become close, or do you feel you two are the exception?"

Kaneki said, "I know for a fact more ghouls and humans could become close. I've met other humans who are knowingly friends with ghouls, as well as humans with ghouls as romantic partners. It's actually a lot more common than you'd think."

"To clarify, you believe ghouls living in tandem with the humans here in Tokyo is a possibility?"

Kaneki looked toward Amon. "I don't know if I'm allowed to talk about it publicly..." Amon nodded, knowing where Kaneki was going. "Well, I've been working with the CCG to create a synthetic meat for ghouls and an RC suppressant than can be taken orally rather than injected. We just finished testing, actually."

"And based on the results of those tests, what do you believe the future holds for the coexistence of the two species?"

"We were able to successfully create both of the two, so I think coexistence isn't really too far down the road."

"What will become of the CCG should the decision be made to accept ghouls into society?"

"I think they'll still be necessary," Hide said. "Despite the number of ghouls that only want peace, there are still some that want to kill humans. The same is true for both sides, though. Not all humans are really accepting of this new idea, either."

"Considering the inevitable backlash from both sides, is it really such a good idea to force them together? After all, violence has been the go-to course of action since the discovery of ghouls."

"It's risky, that's for sure. But I think it's worth the risk. I know of quite a few ghouls, including the one right here-" Hide nudged Kaneki. "That would want nothing more than to be able to walk outside. To get coffee in their favorite café. To go out with their friends. Everyone deserves at least a chance to live, and for ghouls, that chance is long overdue."

"Now, I understand where you're coming from, your friend here aside, don't you think some ghouls might take advantage of being given more rights? If that were to happen, it would lead to a lot more bloodshed."

"That's why I think the CCG should stick around. We'd probably need to increase patrols and things like that, but we shouldn't just kill ghouls on sight."

The questions went on and on, and after thirty minutes or so, the reporter started taking questions from anyone who called in.

When the reporter noticed questions being repeated, she decided it was time to end the interview. Only so many things could really be asked. "I think that's all we have for today. Though I do expect to hear from the CCG and law enforcement officials soon on matters concerning ghoul integration. Now, moving on to the recent issues regarding traffic violations-" The call ended.

Kaneki sighed and leaned back into the sofa. "All things considered, it didn't go terribly."

Hide scoffed. "Yeah, but that reporter pissed me off. I hope that's not how everyone will act."

"These things take time. I'll take displeasure over outright terror any day of the week."

"I guess you're right. With any luck it won't take _too_ long to get any real equality."

Amon's phone chimed. He read the text aloud. "'We've got the formula for meat and suppressants exacted. Bring Nagachika and his ghoul in to discuss the next step tomorrow.' It's from the director."

"I'm assuming this means they're willing to mass produce then?" Kaneki asked.

"That would be the idea. Though we'll know for sure once we have a meeting." Amon turned to leave, feeling unwelcome since he'd arrived.

 _Nagachika is a pretty good actor, but anyone can see he isn't comfortable with me around anymore,_ he thought.

Hide sighed. "Amon, here's the deal." Amon stopped at the door. "What you did- it was terrible. We all know that. But I guess you really did have good intentions, so I can't fault you too much for that. If you promise not to go spilling any more of our secrets, I'd like things to be the way they were before."

Kaneki smiled. He'd forgiven Amon long ago, he was never one to hold grudges. "In that case..."

Amon walked back into the room and shook Hide's outstretched hand. "Coffee?"

* * *

A/N: Now that this fic is getting close to the end, I think I finally decided on how I want to write a Hide x Kaneki story. It's... original? I think it'll be good anyway. This fic will probably be wrapped up on or before a thirtieth chapter (that's the plan anyway).


	23. Chapter 23

When Kaneki, Hide, and Amon arrived at the CCG the next day, the investigators' attitudes toward the ghoul had drastically changed. The first night Kaneki walked through the office, he'd done so with a blade at his throat. The second time was with Amon's hand on his shoulder. Every time after that, the investigators had stared him down with fear and suspicion.

Now though, they looked at him with pity.

Kaneki hated it.

He hated that all these people felt bad for him. He didn't want their pity, their fear, their hatred. What he really wanted was their indifference.

He wanted them to look at him not as a ghoul, a victim, or an enemy. Really, he didn't want them to look at him at all. He just wanted to be _normal._

Amon led the two of them up toward the conference room the director mentioned. There he found Akira, Shinohara, Arima, Leon, and the director himself waiting, seated on the left side of the long table. Amon suspected they were there partially to protect their director from the SS rated ghoul, and also to provide any opinions during the discussion. Amon took the seat centered on the right side; Hide sat to his right and Kaneki next to Hide.

"Investigator Amon," the director announced. "While your methods have been... irregular to say the least, and I don't particularly agree with the amount of freedom you've granted it, Centipede is still within CCG custody just as I had asked of you. The information we've gained has exceeded my expectations. For that, you have my gratitude.

However, we're here to discuss the recent scientific advances made by Leon here. With these new products, and the public opinions you gathered a few weeks ago, I can consider granting more rights to ghouls."

"That's great, sir," Amon said. "I'm glad to hear it, as I'm sure Kaneki and Hide are too."

Hide nodded, practically beaming, and Kaneki sat in stunned silence.

The director looked to Kaneki. "Centipede," he started. Hide opened his mouth to presumably demand more respect, but Kaneki stomped on his toe with more strength than was probably necessary. Hide's outburst died, replaced with a choking sound in his throat.

"Yes, sir?"

"It's true that you haven't experienced any hunger since the synthetic meat, is that correct?"

"Yes, sir."

"The thing is," Leon broke in. "We believe it to be a safe solution to eliminate ghoul hunger, but we can't know for sure until we conduct a more extended observation. Therefore, for the next month, two if necessary, we'll be feeding you and the ghouls imprisoned in Cochlea the synthetic meat. As long as no ghouls have any odd feelings or behaviors, the CCG will deliver a press conference formally announcing everything."

"A month is a long time to wait..."

"You have to understand," the director said. "We can't afford to move too fast. In order for ghouls to eat the meat we provide, there has to be a little trust from both parties. We can't gain that trust without being absolutely certain that our meat is a real alternative. Speaking of trust, that's one of the reasons I've asked you here, Centipede."

"You already know my stance," Kaneki stated. "I don't want to hurt people. I've let you do whatever you wanted with me."

"To be frank, the CCG has been hunting and killing ghouls for quite some time. We plan to ask ghouls to sign up for a registry, and in turn we will deliver the meat to their homes; everything will remain anonymous to the general public. However, no ghoul will take us at our word, and I don't expect them to. Your word, on the other hand, might hold a bit more water."

"They're going to assume your meat is poison- an attempt to kill a mass quantity of ghouls in one strike. It doesn't matter what I tell them. And if I'm being honest, I wouldn't put it above the CCG to try and poison all of us."

"What'll it take?" Arima asked suddenly.

"Sorry?" Kaneki asked, confused.

"For you to convince ghouls that we're willing to end this war, what'll it take? Name your price."

"Uhm..."

" _If we're being honest,_ " Arima quoted Kaneki. "We both know you're capable of persuading at least a few ghouls to side with you. They can then gather more. So, what is it you want?Money?"

"Three things, then." Kaneki said after short consideration.

Hide raised his eyebrows, not expecting Kaneki to have an answer so soon. Arima looked at Kaneki expectedly.

"The first two are easy. I'd like the CCG to pay for Hide to finish college at Kamii, if he wants. I'd also like for us to get a monthly salary, for all the things we've been doing and will continue to do for the CCG." Hide hadn't said anything outright, but Kaneki knew he was running low on funds ever since he'd been fired.

The director nodded. "Both of those can be arranged. What's the third request?"

"I'd like... for pardons for my friends. The ghouls who saved my life. I want the CCG to stop investigating them."

The director hesitated. "Which ghouls?"

"Gourmet, Daughter Ghoul, Black Dog, Devil Ape, Serpent, Raven, and... Rabbit."

Akira slammed her hands on the table as she jumped up. She'd been growing more and more tense as Kaneki listed the Anteiku ghouls, but at the mention of Rabbit, she couldn't contain her fury. "I _refuse_ to allow that monster to walk free! Rabbit killed my father!"

"She didn't do it because she _wanted_ to! Do you have any idea what happened to Hinami because of him?!" Kaneki was angry and standing now, too. He could handle being insulted himself, but he couldn't stand idly by when this _Dove_ called his friends monsters.

Shinohara calmly coaxed Akira back into her seat, while Hide did the same with Kaneki.

"Hinami?" The director asked.

"Hinami Fuegichi."

Amon paled. He remembered the Fuegichi missions.

Your father," Kaneki started, with quiet rage. "Beheaded Ryouko Fuegichi with her daughter, Hinami, right around the corner. I barely covered her eyes before it happened. If that wasn't enough, he mutilated both her parents and turned them into weapons. He used their _corpses_ to try and bait and kill their innocent daughter! _That's_ why Rabbit and I were there that night! We didn't leave to get _revenge._ We left to _save Hinami._ Ryouko never killed anyone, and neither has her daughter. They didn't deserve to be hunted, just for the mere crime of existing. So don't you think for one damn second that you humans are any more noble than us _ghouls._ "

Akira paled; she hadn't known the extent of her father's actions. Still, that didn't excuse his murder. Shinohara, sensing something wrong, brought Akira out of the conference room before she blew up again.

Amon looked down, to hide the redness spreading on his face.

"Neki..." Hide didn't know what to say. He hadn't known about the history between Kaneki and the Anteiku ghouls, aside from knowing they'd saved him. Hide just placed a hand on Kaneki's knee, so the latter knew he wasn't alone.

The director considered Kaneki's request. "Is there anything else we can do inste-"

"No," Kaneki interrupted. "Those ghouls saved my life. They're my family. They're also the only ones who might trust me enough to try this experiment. Pardon them- all of them- or we might as well be back at square one anyway."

"You drive a hard bargain, Centipede."

"I know I'm asking for a lot, but their pardon helps us both. They'll trust you more, and also get the freedom they deserve. Please, sir."

The director grew silent for a moment and thought about his decision. Akira would surely be pissed, as would many other investigators. But if the ghouls acted up again, they'd be back on the wanted list. Maybe a pardon would actually help keep them in line.

"Alright," the director decided. "How about a compromise? Your ghouls will turn themselves in to us. They'll eat the synthetic meat alongside the Cochlea ghouls for the next month. As long as there have been no issues, they'll be released immediately afterwards."

"Rent out the apartments next to Hide's. I'm pretty sure they're both vacant anyway. My friends can stay with us, not in Cochlea. Then I'll accept."

The director grunted his approval of the counter-offer. Three apartments, filled with powerful ghouls. At least they'd all be in one place.

* * *

A/N: To be honest, I don't remember if the CCG had a code name for Nishiki yet or not. It just didn't feel right without him having one. *shrugs* There'll be more of the Anteiku squad for the last few chapters, though. Another fic with Hide x Kaneki will be in the works soon, once I work out the plot. This time I'm not going to make it up as I go like I did with this fic (which was a big mistake, oh my god).


	24. Rewrites Are Done!

Alright! Rewrites are done, and I think I like the new chapters more than before. Chapter one is the same, I only changed two, three, and most of four. Please let me know if you like these more or less than the old ones! I can always replace the new ones with those if they're not as good. I just think this series of events makes a lot more sense than before.

With that being said, chapter 24 _is_ in the works, I promise. It should be up either tomorrow or the next day, depending on minor bouts of writer's block and things like that.

Thanks so much for being patient with me! You guys rock.

~penny


	25. Chapter 24

A/N:

This chapter is long overdue, but it's longer so I guess it's okay. There's fluff too, because everyone needs a side of domestic happiness with their heaping serving of angst.

* * *

After returning to Hide's apartment, Kaneki called Touka and explained the director's proposition. She was skeptical to say the least, but she agreed to go to the apartment and at least speak with "that asshole you brought with you last time." She flat-out refused to meet with anyone else from the CCG.

When she arrived though, she only had Hinami and Nishiki with her.

"Big brother!" Hinami shouted, and Kaneki braced himself for what he knew was coming.

Hinami practically flew at Kaneki, catching his stomach in her arms and sending both of them crashing to the ground.

"Hey, Hinami," Kaneki choked out, patting her head. "This is becoming somewhat of a habit, now, isn't it?"

Hinami laughed against Kaneki's shirt. "I just missed you! That's all! Touka doesn't like to read the hard books with me, and Nishiki only reads his boring textbooks."

"Where're the others?" Kaneki asked. He picked himself up off the floor, and Hinami securely attached herself to his arm.

"Yomo's taking care of the ghouls who depended on Anteiku for food. Tsukiyama is off doing something too freaky for me to ask about... probably. Irimi and Koma had to put their gangs back in order."

"Oh, I see. Come in, then." Kaneki stepped to the side. "You remember Hide, right?"

"Shitty dye-job? How could I forget?"

Nishiki winced and said quietly, "Hey Kaneki, about what happened after we... uhm... _met_ -"

Hide called from the other room, cutting him off. "Is that _Touka_ I hear? Well, what're you waiting for? Come on in!"

Kaneki led the way into the modest apartment; Hinami was still on his arm while Nishiki and Touka trailed behind him hesitantly. Hide was standing in the living room, whatever action movie they'd been watching still playing on the television, forgotten.

Nishiki looked anywhere but at the human, who was holding his arms out wide while saying, "Welcome to my, er, _our_ humble abode!"

"Enough with the theatrics, Hide," Kaneki said with a chuckle. "You already know Touka. This is Hinami, and... _oh._ " Kaneki's words trailed off as he remembered what had happened between Hide and Nishiki. He'd long since forgiven the other ghoul, but he hadn't talked to Hide about the incident.

Nishiki, feeling awkward, scratched his head sheepishly. "Look, Nagachika, about what happened... I... uhm, how to say it..." The ghoul struggled to find the right words, still avoiding looking at Hide. He rarely ever apologized for anything, much less for trying to eat a human. "I'm sorry. Back then, I was a bit... well, you know. I wouldn't have tried to... eat you... if I knew things would play out like they did. For what it's worth, I really am sorry."

"Nishio, look at me," Hide's tone turned uncharacteristically serious. Kaneki wasn't sure he was breathing. Hinami shifted a bit more behind Kaneki, still unsure of whether or not she could trust the human.

Nishiki hesitantly brought his eyes to meet Hide's own.

"You're not planning on eating me anytime soon, right?" Hide asked.

"No, of course not!"

"Then, as long as you're sorry, it's okay," Hide said with his typical bright smile.

"Are you sure?" Nishiki asked hesitantly, unable to believe the human's reaction.

"Yeah, I'm sure. Besides, if you hadn't attacked us that day, it would've taken me a _lot_ longer to figure out Kaneki was a ghoul. So, in some weird, twisted way, I'm grateful you nearly killed me. But just so we're clear, I _am_ glad you didn't _actually_ do it."

 _Typical Hide,_ Kaneki thought. _Foolishly optimistic._

Nishiki's shoulders sagged in relief, and Touka laughed quietly. "I've never seen shitty Nishiki so flustered before."

"Well it's not happening again, so savor the moment," Nishiki replied. "At least _I'm_ not a brat like _you_."

Hide ignored their bickering in favor of introducing himself to Hinami. She was, understandably, scared of meeting a human. She'd yet to have any good experiences involving the other species, aside from Kaneki. Though she didn't count that, since he was technically a ghoul now.

Hide crouched down so he wouldn't come off as intimidating. "Hello there, I'm Hideyoshi Nagachika. But, since you're so cute, I guess you can call me Hide." Hide offered a hand to shake. Despite how he'd toned down his overly cheerful attitude for a calmer approach, Hinami still hid behind Kaneki, arms wrapped around one of his.

"It's alright Hinami; you don't have to be scared of Hide. He's my best friend. He'd never hurt you." Kaneki tried to console her.

Hinami hesitantly shook Hide's hand from behind Kaneki. "I- I'm Hinami."

Hide didn't acknowledge her fear in the slightest, and Kaneki was grateful he wasn't taking any of this personally. "Well Miss Hinami, I hear you like to read. I don't care for reading myself, but Kaneki is the biggest book nerd I've ever met."

"Y-yeah, big brother's p-pretty smart."

"Since he lives with me now, I've got all of his books here. Would you like me to show you?"

Hinami's eyes widened, and she looked up at Kaneki, as if asking if it was okay.

Kaneki smiled down at her. "I bet you know more words than Hide does."

"No way!" Hide protested, playing along. "I'm older, so I've got to know more words!"

Hinami readily rose to the challenge. "Big brother taught me a whole bunch of words! I'll show _you_ who's smarter!"

Hide laughed and gently took her hand, leading her to the bookshelf in the corner. Kaneki watched with a proud smile on his face as Hinami pulled _Monochrome of Rainbows_ from the shelf and began reading the most difficult words in the book. Hide, genuinely surprised at how well she was able to read, didn't have to pretend to know fewer words than she did.

"Now that the human and the kid are otherwise occupied, let's discuss what you called about earlier," Nishiki said in a low voice.

Kaneki nodded, and led the remaining two ghouls into the kitchen. "I asked Amon not to come over until I text him, so we've got some time to talk."

"He actually listens to you?" Touka asked incredulously.

"That's what I've been saying _,_ Touka. I really think he's trying to understand us. More so than the others. We should put forth an effort, too."

She scoffed. "I'm here, aren't I?"

"It's a start," Kaneki said with a sigh. "For the record, it was hell to get them to agree to pardon you guys. You in particular, Touka. You've got somewhat of a reputation."

"I can't believe they agreed to it."

"Remember, it's only a pardon if we agree to take part in the experiment. With that being the case, I doubt they'll drop the charges against everyone else, since they're not here," Nishiki commented.

"I'll ask Amon, but I can't promise anything," Kaneki said. "Anyway, are you willing to give it a shot?"

Both ghouls were silent.

"I've been back and forth with them for a while now," Kaneki continued. "They haven't done anything to me that I didn't agree to. I mean, I'm living with _Hide;_ I'm not even in a cell anymore. No guards or anything."

"They're the _CCG,_ Kaneki." Touka argued. "They've been slaughtering us for so long. I just-"

"Please," Kaneki interrupted. "If it works, we don't have to hide anymore! We can _live,_ Touka!"

"I'll do it," Nishiki spoke up suddenly. "If it means I can go back to Kimi... I'll do it."

"Thank you, Nishiki."

"Yeah, whatever."

"Touka?"

Touka looked over the counter at Hinami, who was now showing Hide yet another book. She hesitated before saying, "Hinami deserves to live her life. She's still young, so she's got time to enjoy it. As long as your Dove doesn't try anything funny... I guess I can trust you on this. Not him- but I can trust you."

Kaneki smiled. "Thank you- both of you. I'll tell him it's alright for him to head over, and we can work out all the specifics. Sound good?"

"Fine."

Amon arrived twenty minutes later, hovering outside the apartment, holding nothing but a single folder. "The director and I typed up detailed copies of the agreement. Since ghouls don't technically have rights, it doesn't need any signatures, but I thought you might appreciate being able to read it over," he said, holding the folder out to Kaneki.

"You can come in, you know. You met them before, and nothing happened. There's nothing to be afraid of, as long as you don't attack them."

"I know, but you have to understand how difficult this is for me. I still can't bring myself to trust your friends completely, though I am trying." Amon stepped into the hallway, closing the door behind him.

"I can assure you, I'm the most dangerous one here, Amon. Nothing's going to happen." Kaneki led the way to where Touka and Nishiki were seated at the kitchen table. Hide, as per Touka's instruction, had brought Hinami to the bedroom so she wouldn't feel so threatened by the Dove. He took his gaming console with him to keep them occupied.

The table only had four seats. Kaneki sat across from Nishiki, to put Touka and Amon the farthest apart. Nishiki was prickly at best, but Touka was more likely to start the attacking if she felt threatened.

"I thought there'd be more of you?" Amon asked.

"They're busy." Touka snapped. Amon didn't say another word.

Kaneki opened the folder and passed the papers around. After reading it over himself, he found it to neatly outline what they'd agreed on before. There weren't any other contingencies sneakily added in.

"Why do we have to move here?" Touka asked.

"Ease," Amon answered. "It's much simpler to have everyone near the same location for the duration of the experiment. We'll know where to find you if something comes up. Kaneki also informed me that you wouldn't like to be separated very far, so neighboring apartments will provide privacy and proximity."

"What's the fake stuff made of?" Nishiki asked.

"I don't know, to be quite honest."

"I've already tried it," Kaneki said. "Tastes just like the real thing. Nothing happened to me either."

Touka seemed hesitant to trust as usual, but she was coming around. "And if this whole thing works out like you say it should..."

"Ghouls will no longer be the target of extermination," Amon confirmed what was written on the paper. "We ask that ghouls sign up for a registry, but it's only for the purpose of being able to acquire the meat we'll offer. Their identities will remain anonymous to everyone but a select few investigators."

"And the ghouls you have in that prison?"

"Those with no prior crimes will be released, with financial compensation."

"What about my friends? The ones that didn't come here."

"I... don't know if I can pardon them. I'll ask, but I can't confirm anything," Amon sighed. He was losing them. He had to reconcile it, somehow. "It will take time. Nothing of this scale can be done easily, but, eventually, ghouls _will_ have the same rights as humans. That's my goal."

"I thought you _wanted_ ghouls' extinction."

"I never wanted all ghouls to _die_. I wanted to protect humanity. I think this is the way to do that. If there's a way to get ghouls to stop targeting humans, then I'd be doing just that."

Nishiki stood. "I made my decision before you showed up. I'll do it. My girl- she's human. If we can be together, without consequence, then I'll do whatever this is."

"That can be arranged, Mister..." Amon held out a hand and fumbled for a name, before realizing he'd never gotten one.

Nishiki shook Amon's hand with far more strength than necessary for a handshake, and said, "Nishiki Nishio."

Amon winced at the ghoul's unrelenting grip, knowing it was on purpose, but forced a smile anyway. "Thank you. Here's my phone- will you put your number in? I'll let you know when we're ready to start."

Nishiki typed his number in under the name 'N. Nishio- Serpent' before leaving, presumably to be with Kimi.

Kaneki looked at Touka, who'd been unusually quiet.

 _Please, Touka. Do it for Hinami!_ He thought.

As if she'd heard his silent plea, she finally stood. "Fine. Me and Hinami will stay in the other apartment. Not with that idiot."

It took Amon a moment to realize she was referring to Nishiki, but he nodded. "Great. Here you go." He shook her hand then handed his cell over.

She put her number in under 'rabbit.' She didn't give her name, unlike Nishiki. The Dove already saw her face, and for her, that was more than enough.

Amon took the awkward silence that ensued as his queue to leave, which he did, after saying goodbye to Kaneki.

"We're done, guys," Kaneki called out. "You can come out now!"

Hide burst through the door almost immediately. "Finally! Help me, Neki! She's a monster!" He shook Kaneki's shoulders erratically. "I don't know what else to _do_ man!"

"Hide, what the hell are you talking about?" Kaneki shoved past Hide to see what had been going on. He looked at the screen, where _Mario Kart_ was displayed, with Princess Peach as the victor. Hinami was innocently laying on the bed, controller in hand. Everything seemed to be in order.

Hide made a show of hiding behind Kaneki as they entered the room, Touka on their heels. "It's not natural, dude. She's _too_ good at this game."

Kaneki snorted, then doubled over in laughter. "Don't tell me... you lost... to a thirteen-year-old girl! At least say you let her win!" Touka walked over and high-fived Hinami.

"Okay, the first time I went easy on her, since it was her first time playing, you know? I was a gentleman! I even showed her all the controls and everything. I let her win that one, but then she unleashed this _beast_ and no matter how hard I tried I couldn't beat her!"

"Hide, while I am glad you two are getting along, there's no way she's that good at this game. She's literally never played before today, and you and I used to play all the time."

"You couldn't beat her if you tried, Neki."

Hinami's eyes lit up at the idea of playing video games with Kaneki. "Big brother! You should play with us, too!"

Kaneki picked up Hide's abandoned controller and sat next to her on the bed. "You're on, Hinami."

Kaneki lost. Pathetically. As did Touka. It was _unreal_ how good Hinami was at _Mario Kart._ In the end, it had taken the cooperation of Touka, Hide, and Kaneki to finally finish... second, third, and fourth.


	26. New Fanfic!

Sorry, sorry! I know it's not a new chapter, but I just updated yesterday damn it!

Alright, confession time. I needed a break from the first story, big time. I didn't want to keep working on it when I wasn't really _into_ it, because I felt like that would ruin the story. So I started on that Hide x Kaneki story I mentioned a while back. Chapter One is up, and Hide's not actually _in_ the story yet, but he will be soon, I promise. This is going to be shorter, I think. But, it _is_ original, as promised! I'm pretty excited as to how it's turning out so far, to be honest.

Rest easy, _this_ story is still getting some attention from me. I planned on writing the new story when this was done, but I was feeling inspired, and decided to seize the moment.

I would love it if you guys would give the other story a shot!

~penny


	27. Chapter 25

The CCG had the apartments ready for their new occupants within the week. Touka and Hinami, not having much to pack or prepare, moved in the afternoon after having received the text from Amon.

Nishiki had asked Kimi to move with him, who, unsurprisingly, was quick to break out the cardboard boxes. It had taken a few extra days to pack Kimi's things, but they moved soon after. Everyone was glad their quarters were the farthest from the girls, seeing as they were... _passionate._ Since being able to reunite (somewhat) safely with his beloved girlfriend, the ghoul was sometimes _too_ securely glued to her side. Hide and Kaneki were mature enough to turn up their television and ignore the occasional sounds, but no one wanted to expose young Hinami to that.

They'd been given all of twenty-four hours to settle in before the first inconspicuous package arrived at Hide's doorstep after being dropped off by a low-rank officer too terrified to stay and chat after ringing the doorbell. Hide called it 'the classic ding-dong-ditch.'

Kaneki waited he couldn't hear the officer's quick steps anymore before opening the door, not wanting to scare the poor human any more. Knowing what the contents were, but not quite ready to just ' _dig in,'_ as the attached note (presumably from Leon) instructed, he just brought it inside with one hand while shooting a text to Touka and Nishiki with the other.

"What did you get Kaneki?" Hide asked from his spot on the couch, seeing his friend return with the box.

"It's from the CCG." Kaneki set the box down on the table and cut the tape with his nail. "It has to either be eaten or refrigerated soon, though. I think they just brought it over from a cooler, but it can't stay out too long."

"Oh! It's the fake people meat!"

"Hide... _please_ don't phrase it like that."

"Generated ghoul grub?"

"Hide."

"Fabricated flesh fare?"

" _Hide."_

"Alright, alright, I give. I was running out of... what do you call those anyway, Mister Literature Major?"

"Synonyms, and also alliterations."

"Yes. Those... things." Hide looked down the hall to see Touka and Hinami walk through the door. "Kaneki, your ghoul-friends are here."

Once the girls were in the kitchen, Kaneki understood the pun. "Not funny."

"Not even a little-"

" _No._ Not even a little _punny."_ Kaneki beat Hide to his next pun, causing the other to sigh in defeat, before another smirk took over his face.

"Ready to try some manufactured man morsels?"

"Hide!"

Hinami giggled at Hide's antics, while Kaneki's face just grew redder and redder by the minute. From exasperation or embarrassment though, Hide couldn't tell.

"Where's Nishiki?" Kaneki asked. As if in answer, a loud thud sounded from behind the wall between their two apartments.

"I think he'll need another minute or two," Hide said, laughing. Touka tried to restrain her chuckle, but failed miserably.

Hinami stared, wide-eyed. "What do you mean? Is he busy or something?"

"Uhh, you could say that," Touka answered shakily.

"Oh." Hinami clearly wasn't satisfied with that answer, but wisely decided not to push the issue.

After Nishiki had... _finished,_ Touka brought him over to sit at the table with the other three ghouls. She was very adamant about not letting Hinami anywhere near something given by the CCG before she'd at least tried it first.

Hide watched the ghouls try their meal tentatively, knowing he was making the situation more uncomfortable but also not particularly caring. He was pleased when he saw their surprise at the taste (excluding Kaneki, who'd been the original taste-tester.) After waiting a few minutes and not feeling anything strange, Touka permitted Hinami to have the last wrapped package from the box.

"Well?" Hide asked. "Nobody keeled over, so I guess that's a good sign."

"Nobody keeled over _yet,_ Nagachika," Nishiki said. "Though it does taste just like the genuine article, I still can't say I trust the source."

"Understandable. But hey, with a good meal comes energy and stamina, which is great for certain _activities."_

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Oh? You and Kimi are rather _vocal._ And also-"

Kaneki quickly pressed a hand over Hide's mouth, before he could continue speaking. This was before he realized what had just been _in_ said hand. He quickly jerked his hand away, but Hide had stopped talking so the intended effect was still achieved.

"Dude! Gross!" Hide exclaimed.

"Then maybe you should watch what you say, Hide."

"At least _pretend_ to be sorry."

"I thought you didn't want me to lie to you anymore."

"That hurts, Neki."

Kaneki scoffed while Hinami laughed at them. Nishiki had snuck off sometime during the conversation, and Touka was red in the face.

Hide rose from the couch and dramatically pointed at Kaneki. "I shall have my revenge, you fiend!" Hide leapt over the back of the sofa and ran at Kaneki. Confused, and also not wanting to hurt his friend with his superior strength, Kaneki didn't put up much of a fight as Hide pinned his arms together behind him.

"Hinami!" The blonde called out. "I have to let you in on a secret! Come on over here."

Hinami walked over to where Hide was holding Kaneki captive. "Hmm?"

"See that spot right there at the bottom of Kaneki's ribcage?"

Kaneki paled as Hinami nodded. He could see where Hide was going with this. He shook his head rapidly. "Hinami, you really don't have to-"

"Poke it."

Touka watched while Hide and Hinami kept toying with Kaneki. Though the latter tried to hold it in, his efforts were futile. Soon he was limp and laughing harder than she'd thought he was capable of, along with Hinami and Hide. While she didn't join in herself, she thought their laughs sounded like music. It was probably the most beautiful thing she'd experienced in a _very_ long time.

* * *

Three weeks passed, and though they were waiting for some sort of bomb to drop, nothing of the sort happened. After that first package, Kaneki convinced the others to allow Amon to bring the rest of them and even stay to visit afterward. Despite their conflicting roles, Kaneki enjoyed the investigator's company more than he'd ever tell his friends. There was no question he loved Hide as well as his Anteiku friends, but it felt nice to be able to connect with someone so different from himself, who'd once been such a fierce enemy.

They'd even begun sparring in one of the CCG's training rooms whenever Amon had enough free time. Kaneki appreciated the chance to really get himself active and moving, and Hide always watched them to see his best friend in action. Amon lost more often than he liked to admit, but he was able to knock the ghoul down more than once. Sparring was even better with Kaneki's absurd regeneration. Amon was repeatedly told it was _okay_ not to hold back, and after a while, he didn't. Kaneki never made him feel guilty if Amon injured him; in fact, the ghoul barely even flinched even after taking hits that surely would've hospitalized Amon had they been inflicted on him instead.

Amon also regularly updated them on the status of the ghouls in Cochlea as well; so far there had been no complications or issues related to the change in food. Kaneki and his friends were excited that everything was going well; they were glad they wouldn't have to fight so often. The CCG employees were conflicted because they didn't want to do anything that favored the ghouls, but ultimately, they wanted to stop fearing for their lives all the time as well.

Once the month was up, Kaneki received a text from Amon.

 _Seeing as there have been no complications or complaints about the experiment, it's been decided that another month of testing isn't necessary. A press conference is going to be held two days from today at HQ. Yours and Nagachika's presence would be appreciated; if you could both say a few words, that would be great. Be here at ten a.m., and dress nice. Don't let Nagachika wear that absurd hoodie._

* * *

A/N:

I know I skipped over a month of time, but I wanted to keep things moving along. Seeing as nothing big happened, I felt it was alright to sum things up.

 _However._ If you guys want some more fluff that took place, or maybe sad and angsty Amon apologizing to Hinami for ripping her life apart at the whim of his superior, I can write those (they just might be shorter than your typical chapter.)

This story is coming to end soon though, and I really hope you liked it! If you have any requests for something you'd like to see written, PM me or leave a comment!


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